SMB: Duality of Rule
by WayWardWonderer
Summary: An ancient artifact unleashes an malevolent force that threatens Princess Peach and the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario and Luigi must search find a way to save Peach from an inner darkness before it's too late. A journey to find the seven shards of a cursed mirror leads the heroes on a quest fraught with peril and inner turmoil. The brothers must wander in Darkness to find their Light.
1. Past Comes to Life

It was a rather hectic morning in the Mushroom Kingdom as an earthquake in the night had shaken Toad Town from its slumber. The denizens were alert, waiting for any possible aftershocks or second quake to strike. Many of the older buildings in town had been damaged in the quake, leaving broken glass and wooden splinters in the streets. The newer homes were relatively unscathed, save for a few loose shingles and stuck windows.

Mario and Luigi had been summoned to Peach's Castle as a sign of control to ease the worries of the Toads, and the brothers were all too happy to accommodate their dear friend's request. Upon seeing the two heroes stroll through town without the slightest glimmer of worry in their eyes the town immediately felt a sense of calm and normality.

Without missing a beat he brothers walked up the stone bridge that crossed the moat surrounding the Castle and were shown inside by the two patrolling Toad guards.

"Master Mario, Master Luigi." Toadsworth greeted the invited brothers with open arms as they were shown into the main audience chamber. "So good of you to come on such short notice."

"Of course." Mario modestly replied as he stood up straight and proud. "We're always willing to help."

Luigi nodded in agreement as he displayed the same confidence as his brother. "Always."

"Good show." Toadsworth approved of their heartfelt responses and tapped his cane once on the floor. "Come now. The Princess has something she wishes to show you."

Mario and Luigi exchanged puzzled glances but followed the ward nonetheless. Ascending the marble staircase to the next floor the heroic duo quietly marched along behind Toadsworth as he escorted the brothers to the secluded staircase leading up to the tallest tower of the Castle.

"You see young Masters," Toadsworth began casually explaining as he led the way up the tower's spiraling stone staircase. "as of this morning the earthquake had leveled an old ivory tower in the rear of the Royal Garden."

"Was anyone hurt?" Luigi asked sincerely as Toadsworth updated the brothers on the Castle's most recent events.

"No, no. Goodness no! The tower had been abandoned since just before the Princess was born. The neglect surely led to its collapse." He cleared his throat calmly. "At any rate, while sifting through the dusty remains and rumble of the tower a guard had stumbled across a most curious artifact hidden away in a secret chamber below the tower."

"Artifact?" Mario's curiosity had been piqued. "Treasure?"

"Perhaps. It was locked away in an ancient oak trunk." Toadsworth admitted. "For now the Princess is mostly interested in how the artifact survived the collapse itself, where it came from and she would to like to know as to why it had been hidden away for so long."

Luigi got a bad feeling and rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. "Maybe it was hidden for a good reason."

Toadsworth and Mario were both a little shaken by Luigi's words didn't say anything further.

"Ah, here were are." Toadsworth stood outside of a large red door with a silhouette of Princess Peach, carved in gold, in the center as an elegant accent. Knocking on the door with his cane he announced their presence and opened the door slowly. "My dear, Masters Mario and Luigi have arrived."

"Mario, Luigi!" Peach was standing in front of a tall object concealed beneath a white sheet. "Thank you for coming!"

The chamber itself was truly unique. It was a round room with seven large windows encircling the stone walls. The windows were individually paned with stained glass, each window displaying a different mural showcasing the greatest feats from the past Kings and Queens of the Mushroom Kingdom. Through the colorful glass bright sunlight filled the room with a natural brightness and warmth.

Mario and Luigi entered the room while Toadsworth quietly took his leave. They stood side by side just behind Peach as she returned her attention to the concealed object standing behind her.

"Is this the artifact?" Mario asked excitedly. "Toadsworth told us about it."

"Yes!" Peach replied with just as much excitement in her melodious voice. "You won't believe what the guards found!"

With a sharp tuck of the sheet the concealed object was revealed in a somewhat dramatic effect. Hidden beneath the sheet was a massive mirror. It stood at twelve feet in height and six feet across. The mirror was oval with solid gold as its frame. The frame had been diligently and elegantly carved with ancient symbols and words from a dead language that only a few members of the royal family could read.

"Wow!" Mario was genuinely impressed by the discovery. "That's some treasure!"

Luigi on the other hand immediately got a bad vibe from the mirror and stepped back. "I get the feeling it was hidden for a reason." He muttered to himself. "Maybe it should be stored somewhere safe." Luigi couldn't even look at the mirror, there was something too ominous about it and it made him feel uncomfortable.

Mario stepped up to the mirror and stared at the many little carvings on the frame with intense interest. When he eyes scanned the top of the mirror's frame he pointed to the words at the top and asked about them. "What does it say up there? I don't recognize those words at all."

"Hmm..." Peach stood on her toes as she studied the words, ignoring her less than accurate reflection in the mirror.

"Uh..." Luigi could see that there was something amiss with Peach's reflection but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "Am I crazy or is the mirror not quite... normal?"

"Huh? Mario looked at his and Peach's reflections but didn't see anything wrong. "Maybe the light is putting a weird glare on the glass from where you're standing."

"I guess..." Luigi wasn't satisfied with the answer but didn't press the matter any further.

"'Dark Rumination'." Peach meticulously translated the long dead words carved into the gold above the glass of the mirror. "What an ugly title for something so pretty!" She placed her hand on the flawless glass of the mirror and smiled. "Why was this mirror locked away in a dungeon for so many years? It's still in pristine condition."

As her hand met the cool surface of the mirror a strange chill swept over the glass and froze her hand in place. The room darkened and the air became heavy.

Instantly on guard Mario and Luigi scanned the suddenly dim room for any sign of vicious intent.

"What is this?!" Peach almost shrieked as she struggled to pull her hand away from the mirror. "I can't move!"

Quickly Mario and Luigi rushed to Peach's side in an attempt to pull her hand away from the mirror but the unnatural ice was unrelenting. From beneath the frosty surface of the glass a dark facade swept over Peach's reflection, creating a dark facade that glared back at the Princess from beneath the ice.

Mario pulled at Peach's hand as firmly as he dared but she couldn't be moved. "Don't worry Princess, we'll help you!" He tried to reaffirm her waning confidence as the room grew ever darker and colder. "I promise!"

Luigi was holding onto Peach's hand and pressing against the mirror, but the two could not be parted. "We need to think of something, fast!"

"Ahhh!" Peach screamed in terror as a third, deathly cold, hand suddenly gripped her arm. The third hand had emerged from the mirror and grasped onto Peach's arm so tightly that her skin was instantly bruised and beginning to bleed. "Let go!"

The figure within the mirror said nothing as it pulled even harder than either Mario or Luigi combined and in one fell swoop Peach through glass and into the mirror! The force was so strong that Mario and Luigi were knocked backward across the room with a singular powerful wave of energy.

"Mario! Luigi!" Were the only muffled cries that Peach could utter as she disappeared into the other side of the glass.

"Princess!" Mario and Luigi shouted in unison, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.

"She... She's gone!" Mario stammered as he rushed back to the mirror and pressed his hands against the glass. "Princess!"

"Mario!" Peach's face appeared on the other side of the mirror. She pressed hands pleadingly against the glass as she cried out for help. "Help me!"

From behind Peach, still inside the mirror, the dark facade stepped forward and through Peach as it crossed from side of the glass to the other.

Mario and Luigi stood cautiously their ground as they warily watched the dark figure emerge from the mirror and hover inches above the ground before the two heroes.

" _At last..._ " The shadowy figure growled as it took on a more human form. " _I am free_."

"Who are you?!" Mario demanded bitterly, forming a fireball in his hand and threatening to throw it at the shadow in an instant.

" _My name... is Ruin_." The figure replied as the humanizing form continued to morph and change into a more familiar appearance. " _And I am here to rule this world_."

"What?!" Luigi gasped in absolute shock. "What IS this?"

The figure's shape finished forming and its feet touched the stone floor of the chamber. It laughed wickedly in a low feminine tone.

"No..." Mario felt his heart sink at the sight before him.

" _I am Ruin. I am the shadow of the Princess_." Ruin had taken on the appearance of Princess Peach, specifically the form that Peach had been forced to take when she was temporarily used as a vessel by the Shadow Queen of Rogue Port. " _I shall bathe the world in darkness and burn it to ash. And from those ashes a new world will dawn, a world of my own creation_."

"No!" Mario launched his fireball at Ruin but the powerful deity managed to brush aside the fiery projectile with the simple wave of her hand.

Luigi grabbed onto Mario's arm and whispered in his ear. "Come on! We need to get the mirror and get out of here!"

Laughing a guttural, almost demonic laugh Ruin seemed to know what the heroic brothers were planning. " _Your Princess is my prisoner. She shall bear the centuries of that cursed mirror for all eternity, just as I had been sentenced_." Lifting her hand Ruin made a tight fist and a dark energy struck the mirror, fracturing the glass into multiple pieces. " _Her imprisonment guarantees my freedom_."

"No!" Mario lunged for the mirror but Ruin managed to stop him midair with another wave of her hand. "Let me go!" He protested angrily as he futilely kicked and punched in the air. "Let the Princess go!"

Ruin just smiled wickedly as she watched Mario struggle in vain against her dark powers. " _As you wish_."

Raising her second hand she made another fist that separated the shards of the mirror from the frame and lifted them toward the ceiling. The shards spun around wildly before flying out of the stained glass windows of the chamber, each shard flying off into its own different direction as the murals of the windows shattered into hundreds of tiny pieces that rained down to the floor.

"Princess!" Mario and Luigi called out as they watched the broken mirror disappear into the distance.

Ruin wave her hand at Luigi and held him in the air beside Mario. "Gah!" Luigi protested just as Mario had and he too begun struggling against the unseen dark power that held him at bay.

" _Be gone..._ "

With a flick of her wrists the two heroes were launched from the chamber and through the window behind Ruin.

" _This entire world shall be mine..._ "

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	2. Welcome to the Jungle

The brothers were thrown from the tower of the Castle with unbridled force. Soaring through the air at an uncontrollable, unstoppable speed Mario and Luigi were at the mercy of Ruin's power and the malevolent energy she had channeled. Tumbling helplessly through the air the brothers could only wait for gravity to stop them, landing in a place they did not know.

"Gah!" Luigi yelled bitterly as he and Mario finally began a sharp descent from the air. The line of thick trees was not something either had hoped to cushion their fall. "Mario!?"

Without another word the duo plummeted into the thick trees; bursting through the numerous green leaves, crashing through strong branches, snapping the snaking vines and startling entire flocks of birds from their roosts. With a resonating 'thud' on the dark jungle floor the two brothers had finally come to a halt.

Birds squawked and fluttered about the branches angrily as a cloud of dirty wafted up from abrupt impact on the ground.

"M-Mario...?" Luigi asked breathlessly as he laid on his back beneath several broken tree branches. "Are you al-alright?"

Sitting up slowly, pushing aside the fallen tree limbs and leaves, Mario let out a defeated sign and rested his arm atop of his knee. "Yeah. I'm okay." He put his hand to his head and unsurprisingly felt his thick brown hair, not his red cap. "How are you?"

Luigi imitated Mario and slowly sat upright from the ground and adjusted his crooked green cap before responding. "I'm fine." He coughed a little then used his hand to wave away the lingering dust. "What... What happened back there? Who was that? WHAT was that?"

Mario shut his eyes and bowed his head as the sight of seeing Princess Peach taking the form of the Shadow Queen brought back sickening, painful memories of his journey for the Seven Crystal Stars throughout Rogue Port. Seeing Peach being dragged into the tomb of the Shadow Queen in the lowest portion of the demon's ancient, crumbling lair was horrific enough, but watching Peach's body become possessed by the Shadow Queen herself ached at his heart in a painful manner that he had never felt before; until he and his party had no choice but to attack Peach in order to stop the Shadow Queen.

Mario and Peach swore to never speak of that battle. Neither wanted to remember being forced to face off against one another in combat, let alone risk the entire world because of any hesitation that would prevent them from doing everything in their power to protect the Light from the Darkness.

"Mario?" Luigi could see his brother was lost in deep thought.

Mario's usually bright blue eyes were dull and unfocused as he sat on the dirty ground pondering away quietly.

"Do you know what's going on?" Luigi asked again, needing his brother to respond to his voice.

"No..." Mario admitted, finally finding the strength to push the memory away as Luigi's voice broke through his trance. "I don't know what happened."

Unsure of what to do next Luigi slowly got to his feet, dusted off his clothes and offered his hand to Mario. "I wonder where we are."

Mario looked up at his younger brother but didn't accept his hand, choosing instead to remain where he sat on the jungle floor. "I don't know. I haven't been here, before."

Luigi reluctantly retracted his hand, letting his arm hang limp at his side. The look of worry in Mario's eyes made Luigi's stomach lurch. How could someone who was always so strong, so confident become so shaken so easily? "I'm uh, I'm going to climb this tree and see if I can figure out where we landed, okay?"

Mario didn't respond or even look at his brother any more. His eyes wandered down to the jungle floor as his mind wandered back to Peach and the Darkness that had consumed her.

Utilizing the broken tree branches advantageously Luigi managed to climb a very tall tree like a ladder, easily ascending to the top of the treeline. Pushing the leaves and smaller branches from his eye line Luigi was blinded by the exposed sunlight. "Wow!" Luigi shielded his eyes with his hand and squinted through the light. "That's bright!" Scanning the horizon Luigi was able to locate Princess Peach's Castle in the distance and from there he was able to determine his and Mario's current location.

"Hey, bro!" Luigi called back down Mario who was completely concealed beneath the thick tree foliage below. "We're South of the Castle! I think we're in the middle of Verdant Jungle!"

Mario looked up slightly through the wavering leaves and branches as Luigi descended back to the ground at a steady pace. "Verdant Jungle?"

"You are correct." An unseen voice responded from behind a fallen log just a few yards from where the brothers had first landed.

"GAH!" Luigi was startled by the unexpected third occupant looming in the jungle and temporarily lost his grip, sliding down the side of the tree for a few feet. "Who are YOU?" He demanded as he took a firm hold of the trunk of the tree to keep himself from falling. "Where'd you come from?"

Mario barely reacted to the voice. Looking only in the direction of the rotting log he waited for their hidden observer to reveal himself.

"I am one of the Seven Mushroom Sages." An elderly Toad draped in a tattered brown hooded tunic emerged from behind the log and through the low hanging branches. "You may call me Moss: Sage of the Woodlands."

"Mushroom Sages?" Luigi reached the bottom and the tree and stood beside Mario protectively, wary of the stranger. "Never heard of them."

"I am not surprised." Moss replied casually as he pulled the hood from his head, revealing his face. The green spotted Toad looked over the brother with wise, inquisitive eyes. He was no taller than Mario and his hunched posture exposed the age that had worn away his tired old bones. "Come. I have much to explain to you young adventurers."

Turning on his heels Moss casually strolled back through the dense green foliage from whence he came.

"Should we follow him?" Luigi asked Mario quietly as he kneeled down beside his brother. "I mean, how do we know this guy can help us?"

Mario shook his head solemnly before finally looking at Luigi. "We don't know. We don't know anything. I don't think we have much of a choice."

Nodding in understanding Luigi trusted Mario's judgment and offered his hand for the second time. "Right. Let's go after him."

"Yeah..." Mario's response was quieted beneath his heavy sorrow as he accepted Luigi's hand. "Until we learn anything else about what happened back at the Castle this Sage is our best bet."

Trailing after Moss in silence the heroic duo was still trying to comprehend the bizarre and frightening event that had transpired in the Castle. Neither brother knew what had happened, nor did they know what befell Princess Peach and the rest of Toad Town after their sudden departure through the tower windows. And what of Ruin? Who was she and why she inside of the ancient mirror?

"Not much further." Moss spoke softly as he approached a wall of vines hanging from the top of a massive cliff side. "Home is just a few feet away."

"Home?" Luigi asked bewildered as he glanced around the jungle. "You have a house out here?"

"Not quite." Moss answered with a sly grin as he approached the lush, green vines. "Behold!"

Grabbing onto the center of the vines Moss parted the natural growth like a curtain, revealing a large cave hidden away in the cliff. Inside the cave was an ancient tree that had long since died and had long since been hollowed out into a modest abode.

"This tree has been in the jungle since the first eon, in which the seeds were planted." Moss led the brothers into the cave and toward his home. "It stood watch over the jungle and its creatures for millennia until a single bolt of lightning struck it down. The tree had perished but its roots were strong. From within the stump it had left behind the very first Sage of the Woodlands created this sanctuary."

Mario and Luigi paused just outside the small doorway leading into the thousand year old home. Admiration for the longevity of the jungle was palpable. It was evident that after the great tree had fallen erosion created the that sheltered cave from the exterior of the cliff that bordered the edge of the jungle. Nature will always prosper.

"Come." Moss opened the small door and warmly invited the heroes to join him inside. "We have much to discuss."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	3. Sage Advice

Sitting around a warm, comforting fire across from the newly acquainted Moss, Mario and Luigi patiently awaited the wisdom that the ancient Sage had offered to share. The tremendous fall courtesy of Ruin had left the brothers expectedly shaken and confused, neither knowing what their next step should be. Comforted only by the modest campfire and the words of the kind of Sage the heroic brothers sat in silence side by side gazing into the dancing orange flames before them.

Luigi looked around the house casually from where he sat. The awkward silence was beginning irritate him, so he decided to break the tension. "Moss, how did you know where to find us? This jungle is pretty big."

Moss was standing behind a table carved from the wood of the great tree's stump. Reaching into the sleeve of his tunic he retrieved Mario's fallen red cap. "I had a hunch that I'd have visitors today."

Mario caught his cap as Moss tossed it over to him and stared at the 'M' symbol emblazoned on his iconic hat. The letters 'M' and 'L' had become synonymous as symbols of hope and heroics through the Mushroom Kingdom. But know Mario felt as though he were staring at a lie. "We're some heroes, Luigi. We blew it big time!"

"Do not fret, young heroes." Moss softly spoke as he meticulously thumbed through the pages of a weather worn leather tome. "You have done nothing wrong. The events that have played forth, and those that have yet to arise, had been set in motion eons ago."

This revelation caught Luigi's full attention. "What do you mean? The Princess was always going to get..." He trailed off momentarily and looked over to Mario sympathetically. "The Princess was going to find the mirror no matter what?"

"Precisely." Moss nodded as he stopped on a particular page in the book laid out before him. "You see, the mirror that has been uncovered is in actuality a prison."

"Prison." Mario repeated quietly as the thought of Peach being trapped behind the glass flashed in front of his eyes. "She's imprisoned..."

Luigi put his hand on Mario's shoulder lightly but turned his attention back to Moss. "The mirror is a prison. And Ruin was the prisoner."

Moss nodded as he strolled over to the fire and used a poker to stoke the burning logs.

"Why was Ruin imprisoned?" Luigi tightened his grip on Mario's shoulder, knowing that with each question asked his brother felt all the more lost. "We've seen her powers already, we know she's strong. But what was her crime?"

Bowing his head Moss stood opposite Mario and Luigi, the flames creating an eerie aura around his face and casting a looming black shadow against the wall. "Her crime was existing."

Mario arched an eyebrow at the unusual declaration. "How is that a crime?"

"Her existence," Moss continued the story in a lower, dreary voice. "birthed Darkness across the land." Staring in the fire Moss told the ancient tale to the questing brothers. "Millennia ago; in a time before power and strife shaped the world in which we live, the eight continents of the Mushroom Kingdom were forged from earth and fire. The earliest ancestors of the Mushroom Kingdom explored the continents, establishing civilizations that coexisted peacefully." Stoking the fire a puff of gray smoke swirled into the air overhead like a hanging fog. "As the civilizations grew and prospered the denizens began to bicker about which civilization was superior, for it was believed that the superior civilization was to be the one to rule over the others."

Luigi was completely entranced by the tale while Mario was uncharacteristically frightened.

"It wasn't long before the civilizations began forming armies and allies. The Toads and Humans forged a strong alliance while the Koopas and the Goombas banded together as one. The latter alliance outnumbered the former ten to one which swayed the choices of the other civilizations. The Doogans, Hammer Brothers, Lakitus, Shy Guys and the rest of the civilizations aligned with the Koopas and Goombas creating what seemed to be an unstoppable force."

Mario swallowed nervously knowing that Ruin's origin was about to be revealed, and with this revelation Peach's fate could be sealed.

"The Great War was fought across the eight continents, many citizens; both innocent and guilty lost their lives during the conflict. The Humans suffered the greatest loss in numbers. Only a dozen or so Humans managed to survive the onslaught. The Toads worked tirelessly with their allies in an attempt to shift the balance or power and to save as many of the Humans as possible but it was for naught. That is until one Human, who had lost her family and closest friends, dared to rise against the odds."

"Ruin..." Mario nearly spat the name with a sickening bitterness as an intense anger boiled up inside of him, pushing aside the fear.

Moss turned his back to the fire as he stared at the book still on display resting on the small table. "It was Ruin who chose to use the power of Darkness to destroy the Koopa army. Despite the numerous, adamant protests of her allies Ruin refused to listen to reason. Tapping into the untouched Dark energy that flowed through the air, a power that even the most skilled Magikoopas refused to tamper with, Ruin allowed herself to become an all consuming shadow of her former self. The young Human warrior had become a Dark Sorceress."

Luigi glanced at Mario fearfully as he muttered the words that Princess Peach had translated. "Dark Rumination."

Moss finished the story. "Ruin wiped out a vast majority of the Koopa army, leaving only a realm of raw Darkness that swept over and corrupted the eighth continent into the wasteland that is today." Taking the book in his hands Moss turned back to the brothers and held the exposed pages out for the duo to view the ancient drawing of the same mirror that had taken Peach. "Fearing that Ruin's lust for power would not end, despite the war finally being won, the Toads had sought help from the Magikoopas. Agreeing that Ruin was more of a threat than any one army could ever be the wise Magikoopas combined their magic with the natural resources provided to them by the Toads and Humans, creating the artifact known as 'Dark Rumination'."

"The mirror," Mario realized with a steady uneasiness aching in the pit of his stomach. "was used to trap Ruin. 'Rumination' is another word for reflection. They used Ruin's reflection, her inner darkness, against her."

"Inner darkness..." Luigi shuddered outwardly as he repeated his brother.

Moss closed the book and placed it back on the table. "However, even the combined powers of the Magikoopas, Toads and Humans was not enough contain Ruin's unbridled power. To ensure that Ruin could never escape a spell was cast over the mirror."

"What kind of spell?" Luigi asked curiously. "And why was the mirror hidden in the tower?"

Moss smiled a little as the determination of the brothers revitalized his own optimism. "The Magikoopas cast a spell that would allow the mirror to remain sealed until a being of pure Light of gazed into the glass."

"Peach." Mario's heart was aching as violently as his stomach. "She... Her Light..."

Moss bowed his head sympathetically. "I'm afraid so. The mirror was hidden away in a massive trunk carved from the very wood of this great tree. The Toads agreed to keep the mirror hidden away for as long as their reign of power resonated throughout the world. The responsibility of the artifact was given to the first human to found Toad Town and the Royal Castle that rested in the heart of the modest village. To ensure that it remained undiscovered the King's royal Sorcerer constructed a great ivory tower behind the Castle, nestled deep in the Royal Garden, and locked the trunk away in the tower's dungeon."

Luigi was floored by this revelation. "And it was simply forgotten about? How many other ancient artifacts have been forgotten by history?!"

Mario slammed his fist hard onto the dirt floor and glared into the orange flames. "Why wasn't Peach made aware of the dangers of the mirror? How could this happen?"

Luigi's hand had never left Mario's shoulder. Tightening his grip he did his best to ease Mario's tension. "Easy bro, we'll save her!"

Moss walked over to the far wall hidden in shadows and pulled a piece of bark away, revealing a hidden compartment. "The story of the mirror had been passed on from generation to generation. And with each passing the story changed until it was believed to be nothing more than a legend, then a fairy tale and now a forgotten myth." Pulling a leather pouch from the compartment Moss hand the item to Mario. "Use this."

"For what?" Mario asked as he hesitantly took the offered item. "What are we supposed to do?"

"The mirror," Moss inquired coyly. "was broken by Ruin, was it not?"

"Yeah...?"

"But it did not shatter."

"No."

"It was divided."

"Divided?"

"Into Seven Glass Shards." Moss pointed to the worn pouch resting in Mario's hands. "Retrieve the shards of the mirror, return the shards to the mirror's frame and the mirror will be restored."

"And Peach will be freed?!" Mario asked excitedly as he scrambled to his feet, pulling his shoulder loose from Luigi's hand. "Where are the shards? How do we find them?"

Luigi smirked a little as he saw his brother's fiery spirit reignite. ' _Finally! There's the Mario I know_!' He thought to himself proudly. ' _I knew he'd pull himself together_.'

"Patience my young friend, patience." Moss soothed as he pointed to the pouch grasped between Mario's strong hands. "Look inside."

Obediently Mario flipped open the large flap on the side of the pouch and gasped at the glimmering item tucked away inside. "What the...?" Pulling out the item he found he was holding the first of the Seven Shards. "How did...? I don't understand, how'd you find this and do it so quickly?"

"We Sages," Moss explained calmly. "have been keeping watch over the eight continents since the Great War had ended. With our watch comes great wisdom and magic. The Seven Glass Shards were enshrouded with Dark magic upon being broken and separated. Like a magnet the Shards will be naturally drawn to great sources of magic. Find the rest of the Sages and you will find the remaining Glass Shards."

Replacing his iconic red cap upon his head Mario pulled the hat down tightly over his hair and nodded respectfully to the wise Sage with gratitude. "Thank you for your help. We won't fail."

Luigi quickly rose to his feet in singly, graceful motion and stood proudly beside his brother. "Where do we go first?"

Moss walked over to the door of his house and opened it wide. Pointing through the drooping vines to the neighboring mountain range he gave the Mario Brothers the guidance they so desperately needed. "Head West to the Black Mountains. By reaching the peak of the darkest mountain you will encounter the next Sage. He will surely give you the shard you need. Tread carefully."

Stepping outside of the house Mario tightened the strap of the pouch as he slung it over his shoulder. "Right. Ready Luigi?"

"Ready!" Luigi followed his brother as he pulled down his own green cap tightly and gave Mario a reassuring grin. "Lead the way, bro."

"Then let's go!"

With the first of the Seven Glass Shards now safely in their possession the brothers continued on their journey with the green foliage of the Verdant Jungle at their backs. The Black Mountains awaited their arrival in the distance...

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	4. Between A Rock and A Hard Place

Trekking the steep, cumbersome trail leading from the Verdant Jungle to the Black Mountains was a slow and meticulous climb. Mario led the way with Luigi hot on his heels. With the Sage's knowledge still fresh in their minds the brothers silently pondered their next move, knowing that confronting Ruin would be the most dangerous feat that either hero had ever faced during their time in the Mushroom Kingdom.

Mario paused atop a rocky rise on the pathway to wipe sweat from his brow onto the back of his red sleeve. "We must be getting close by now, Luigi."

"I sure hope so." Luigi stood beside his brother as he took of his green cap and used it to fan the heat and sweat from his own face. "I wasn't prepared for such a big climb today."

"C'mon." Mario took a bold step from the rise and onto the winding trail just below. "We need to keep moving."

Sighing deeply Luigi replaced his cap and quickened his pace to match Mario's. "Right behind ya'!"

It had been morning when Mario and Luigi arrived at Peach's Castle, but it was now past noon and evening was looming over the mountain range. The sun was beginning to set, which was a relief to the heat stricken brothers, but darkness would inevitably become a great foe as they journey deeper into the mountains.

"Where is he?" Mario asked out loud as eyes darted about the jagged outcropping of the cliffs overhead. "How will we find him?"

Luigi heard the doubt rising up in Mario's tone and decided to offer words of encouragement to his stressed brother. "Maybe if we get on top of one of the ledges up there we can scout out the area."

"Yeah... Yeah." Mario agreed as he focused on a nearest elevated ledge. "Give me a boost, will ya'?"

"Uh, sure." Luigi glanced to where Mario has been staring and estimated the height. "That should be high enough." Luigi hooked his hands together and bent his knees after planting his feet. "Ready?"

"Ready!" Mario stepped one foot onto Luigi's hands and put his other foot on the surface of the cliff side.

Luigi lifted Mario upward at a controlled rate so Mario could grab a hold of the ledge and pull himself up without slipping. Staring upward he watched as Mario disappeared over the edge of the cliff and began looking across the mountains.

"See anything?" Luigi called curiously, unable to see beyond the ledge above his head.

Mario used his hand to shield his eyes as he keenly took note of their position and looked for any sign of someone, anyone, living in the mountains. The massive boulders and jagged stones that littered the mountain range seemed impenetrable, unmovable. Sparsely throughout the rocky outcroppings a few green plants had managed to take seed and sprout which meant it was possible for something to live in the mountains.

"Not yet..." Mario admitted as he continued to scan the area. Just as he was about to give up and climb back down the ledge something unnatural caught his eye. "Wait a minute!" Focusing on the interesting object he realized that it was a piece of rope. Following the line of rope back to its source he noticed an old, weather beaten, neglected, narrow wooden bridge in the distance. "There!"

"What is it? What did you find?" Luigi asked excitedly as he helped Mario climb back down from the ledge and onto the trail below.

"An old bridge." Mario replied as he brushed the sand and dust from his hands.

"A bridge? A bridge to where?"

"Don't know. But I do know it's gotta' lead somewhere!" Mario motioned with his hand for Luigi to follow as he led the way to said bridge from their current position. "This way."

"Are you sure about it?" Luigi's doubt wasn't aimed at Mario's sense of direction, only toward the soundness of crossing an old bridge that overlooked massive jagged rocks. "Isn't there another way to the other side?"

"We don't have time to look for an alternate route," Mario insisted as he marched up the trail and took a sharp left onto a much narrower and less tread pathway. "we need to find the rest of the mirror shards as soon as possible!"

Unwilling to argue with Mario, despite the validity of the argument heavily weighing in his own favor, Luigi silently followed Mario through the second trail as they continued to ascend higher while simultaneously wandered deeper into the mountains.

The trail wove its way through increasingly thicker boulders that threatened to crush anyone with a single misstep. The air became thinner as the pathway became tighter.

"Mario... I don't like this." Luigi muttered but didn't falter in stride. "How much further"

"D-don't know." Mario panted as he struggled to squeeze through the tighter and tighter gas between the larger and larger rocks. Although he'd never admit Mario was never a fan of small spaces. It was a personal struggle to force himself to move onward despite his mounting discomfort. Thinking only of Peach he pushed through his internal fear and broke through to the end of the pathway. "We... We must be close."

Luigi managed to slip between the boulders easier than Mario thanks to his leaner and taller physique. Standing just behind Mario as he stood on the other side of two massive boulders that marked the end of the trail, he swallowed nervously at the new sight waiting for them. "Wow..."

Mario flinched inwardly as Luigi's voice echoed loudly throughout the deep canyon below. "Yeah," his own voice echoed right alongside Luigi's. "wow."

The canyon was massive in width, equaled only by its own depth. Running down the center of the mountains it was the canyon divided the many peaks of the range from one another. Across the top of the canyon was the very bridge Mario had seen from the ledge further down. The bridge looked even worse up close.

Loose wooden boards were complimented by the missing boards that left massive gaps all through the bridge from beginning to end. The rope that supported the bridge from below and atop was rotting away. Snapped fibers accented the rope that ran up the sides of the bridge to create a flimsy barricade. Winds that blew through the canyon caused the decrepit bridge to swing back and forth with an ominous, foreboding groan.

Setting one foot on the first plank of the bridge Mario slowly applied all his weight and was greeted with a tired creak.

"Uh, Mario!" Luigi wanted desperately to snatch Mario back his shoulders and throw him back onto the stable, secure rocky trail. "I wouldn't-"

"Come on..." Mario coaxed flatly as he lifted his arms for balance, crossing the bridge one plank and one step at a time. "just walk slowly."

"Uh..." Luigi peered over the edge and into the gaping maw of the canyon below. "I'll wait for you to cross first. Don't want too much weight at once."

Mario ignored Luigi's logical approach and continued to test fate by moving at a quicker pace, no longer testing the planks before stepping down.

The bridge swayed more and more as Mario crossed over the canyon. The dry rotted planks creaked louder and louder as the rope strained under the weight being laid upon it.

"There." Mario reached the other side of the bridge and waved Luigi over to join him. "Your turn."

"Uh... Right." Testing the first plank with his foot Luigi mimicked Mario's movements as much as possible. Using his arms for balance rather than using the rotting barricade ropes for support, Luigi inched across the swaying, creaking bridge. "Almost there..."

One loud 'snap' echoed in the canyon as the bridge suddenly shook violently.

Luigi fell to his knees and froze in place. "Wh-what was that?!"

Mario eyed over the bridge and saw that one of the barricade ropes had snapped under tension! "Luigi, you better move it!"

' _Uh-oh_!' Luigi thought to himself as the sense of urgency resonated in Mario's voice. Slowly standing up straight Luigi moved forward at a slow and calm pace. With each step forward the snapping of the ropes continued in a slow succession, like the ticking of a clock.

Just a few steps from safety the planks beneath Luigi's feet gave out, causing him to fall down through the rotten boards. Reacting quickly he grabbed onto the snapping rope beneath the bridge and held on for dear life. "MARIO?!"

Reacting just as quickly Mario dove onto his stomach as he reached a hand out for Luigi. "Grab on!"

Letting go of the rope Luigi eagerly grabbed onto Mario's outstretched hand with both of his hands and shut his eyes tight as the bridge around him collapsed! Broken boards and snapped rope rain down all around him as he hung precariously over the canyon, unable to move or protect himself from the falling debris.

"Don't let go!" Mario shouted to Luigi over the noise. Wrapping both hands over Luigi's Mario took in a deep breath and held it as he prepared for the worst. Using all of his strength he pulled Luigi up and out of the canyon, dragging his brother over the edge of the canyon and to the safety of the stable ledge. "I got ya'!"

Broken planks ricocheted off the stone walls and the large rocks dotted through the canyon with a ringing echo, reminding the heroes of how close they had come to falling in as well.

Feeling the stable ground beneath his body Luigi opened his eyes and wiped a trembling hand over his face. "Th-thanks... That was t-too close!" His voice trembled just as much as his hand. "Next time... We take the long way!"

Mario patted Luigi's shoulder as the brothers laid on the ground overlooking the canyon, trying to catch their breath and calm their racing hearts. "Right. No problem..."

"Well, well, well..." An odd voice commented from above where the heroes rested. "It's not often I get visitors."

Looking up from where they laid, the brothers focused on the hooded lone figure standing on a large boulder overlooking the canyon.

"Are you...?" Luigi asked as he pointed to the stranger, his words becoming lost to his fatigue.

...the Sage?" Mario finished the question as he pushed himself up from the ground.

"Indeed." The figure revealed himself to be a Toad with a brown spotted mushroom cap after dropping the hood from his face. "I am Terra. Sage of the Earth."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	5. Grounded

Gathering their composure Mario and Luigi introduced themselves to Terra and explained their situation. Atop the massive ledge, standing where the ancient bridge had once stretched, the brothers wove their tale the wise Sage remained unphased; almost as if he had already known of the events long before the heroes traversed the dangerous Black Mountains.

Nodding in understanding Terra hopped down from the boulder from which he stood and motioned for the brothers to follow.

"There is much to be done." Terra remarked calmly as he lead the way through the narrow, winding passages that were hidden throughout the mountain range. "If you wish to save your Princess you must restore the mirror and defeat Ruin."

"How?" Mario asked with a fire burning in his eyes. "What do we have to do to take down Ruin?"

Luigi wasn't comfortable with the idea of fighting someone so powerful, someone so full of Darkness. He kept his silence as he clumsily followed behind his brother and the Sage along the uneven and awkward trail.

"Patience my young friend." Terra cautioned as he easily slipped through the narrow gap between the increasingly large boulders that lined the path. "You'll understand soon enough."

Mario kept pace with Terra despite his personal difficulty with maneuvering over the rocks. Luigi didn't have much of a hindrance with the small spaces, he didn't even mind the tight fit or thinning air. Mario, however, was pushing through the uncomfortable environment with a silent grimace.

Hoping to break the silence Luigi finally spoke up. "How much further, Terra?" The inevitable dusk was encroaching quickly.

"Just inside the caves." Terra had reached the end of the trail and was now waiting for the brothers to catch up. "Inside you'll find the shard that you have been seeking."

Mario slipped through the final boulders and reached Terra on the other side. "Caves?"

"There." Terra gestured with an open hand toward the dark caves creeping out of the earth just below the base of the largest mountain peak. "Welcome to the Black Caves."

Luigi joined Mario at the end of the trail and looked at the gaping maw of the entrance to the cave. The sun was nearly set, casting an eerie red glow across the entire mountain. A swarm of nocturnal Swoopers flew from the cave in a large blue bundle of high pitched squeaking.

"Dark." Luigi commented as he pointed to the cave. "How are we going to find our way through?"

"The best solutions always come from within. But the true answer for sure," Terra smiled slyly as he stepped to the side. "I cannot answer. It is up to you as to how you will choose to navigate the cave."

"Us?" Luigi was a little anxious but didn't back down from the challenge.

Mario took a deep breath and tightened his hand on the satchel at his side. The darkness of the cave was delivering a palpable foreboding tone. "But the shard is in there?"

Terra nodded in the affirmative.

"Then... That's good enough for me." Mario slowly approached the cave and turned to look at Luigi over his shoulder. "You coming?"

Despite his own uneasiness of exploring a new location in absolute darkness Luigi nodded once and joined Mario at his side. "Yeah. Whenever you're ready."

Terra watched with a proud smile as the brothers braved the caves together. "I wish you the best of luck. I know you will succeed nonetheless."

Without another word Mario led the way into the mouth of cave with Luigi following close behind.

The sun had set in its entirety as the brothers entered the cave. As a natural blanket of darkness swept over the Mushroom Kingdom Mario and Luigi found themselves enveloped in a secondary, deeper darkness that left the duo blind and wandering aimlessly.

"Stay close to me, Luigi." Mario called out, his voice reverberating off the unseen cave walls. "We can't get separated."

"Keep talking, bro." Luigi replied as he followed Mario's voice through the darkness. "I'll be able to keep track of you better."

"This way." Mario stood in place and waited for Luigi to catch up. "Stop."

"Found you." Luigi reached out and grabbed onto Mario's arm for confirmation.

"But how are we going to find our way through the cave? We can't possible find the way through in the darkness, and we can't wait until morning comes and hope the light shines through."

"Wait, I have an idea!" Luigi beamed happily as he retracted his grip. With the flick of his hand a bright green fireball ignited in his outstretched palm. "Ta-da!"

"Great idea, Weege!" Mario praised as he mimicked his brothers move and ignited an orange fireball of his own.

The mixture of the green and orange fire filled the cave with an eerie glow of flickering light. The interior of the cave was filled with sharp stalagmites and stalactites that pierced through the ground and the ceiling. A thin layer of moisture ran down the cave walls which glistened brightly in the fiery glow. Tiny pure crystals of multiple colors and sizes jutted out of the walls and created fractal rainbows across the ground with the aid of the fire's light.

"Wow..." Luigi remarked at the awe inspiring beauty. "Not too-"

"Shh!" Mario cautioned as he pointed toward the ceiling. "Keep quiet!"

A few dozen Swoopers were still peacefully resting in the cave; nestled safely between the stalagmites.

"Oh..." Luigi whispered in agreement. "Yeah, let's keep quiet."

Mario glanced about the cave, using his fireball to light up any possible pathway leading from the entrance to the cave to the end. A single path stood out from the rest of the walls, a trail of red crystals leading from the mouth to what was surely the heart of the cave.

"This way." Mario quietly guided Luigi. "There's a trail here."

Nodding Luigi silently and obediently followed his older brother, careful of each step he took to ensure that the sleeping Swoopers above were not disturbed.

The pathway lined with the glowing red crystals was very narrow. Less like a path and more like a tunnel, the only way through the cave was dangerously tight and constricting.

Reluctantly Mario got down on his knees and peered through the tunnel. On the other side, a side that was just feet away but seemed like miles, he could see a singular massive black stalagmite jutting of the ground in a seemingly unnatural way. An orange light shined down from the ceiling with basked the dark stone in a warm glow as it sat alone in the center of an isolated clearing.

"I think I see it." Mario told Luigi as he swallowed nervously. "It's at the end of the tunnel."

"Okay. Do you want me to go first?" Luigi could see that Mario was getting uncomfortable and wanted to help him. "I can guide-"

"No, no." Mario had to keep himself from shouting in response. "I... I, uh, I need to go first. I need to do this."

"Right. Do what you have to." Luigi knew that Mario needed to conquer this fear before it conquered him. A fear that could potentially overrule his life in the same way Luigi's own fears had overruled his in the past. "Take your time."

Breathing deeply Mario began a slow crawl on his knees and one hand as he inched through the tunnel using his fire to light his way. He shut his eyes tightly in an attempt to weaken the sense of how closed in the already small area had become. The air was thin and somehow felt hot. Mario could feel and hear his heart pounding away inside his chest, which was feeling tighter and tighter as adrenaline and fear began coursing through his veins. A cold sweat began dripping from his forehead and his body began trembling as he pushed himself to continue crawling.

"Luigi, I don't think I... I..." He began to hyperventilate and panic. Clutching his chest, snuffing out his fireball, Mario's words were now desperate pants as he tried to speak. "I'm... I'm..."

"You're okay, bro." Luigi encouraged softly. " _Io sono con voi_..."*

"I'm okay..." Mario repeated to himself as he inched even deeper into the tunnel. Hearing his brother speaking to him in Italian, the second language they alone knew throughout the entire Mushroom Kingdom, helped ease his internal stress. "I'm okay... _Sarò in buone condizioni._ "*

Louder and louder his heart pounded in ears in an almost deafening rhythm. The cold sweat drenched his the brim of his cap and entire shirt as he crawled through the tunnel.

"You're almost there! Look." Luigi called into the tunnel, watching his brother boldly face his fear head on. " _Io sono sempre con voi_."*

Prying one eye open Mario peered ahead and discovered that he had in fact crawled through the tunnel and made it to the other side. He was now kneeling on the ground on the edge of the large opening in the heart of the cave where the black stalagmite awaited his arrival.

"Way to go, bro!" Luigi encouraged as he crawled down the tunnel after his brother. " _Avete fatto_!"*

"I... I'm okay." Mario exhaled as he stood up on his shaky legs. "I'm okay."

Luigi joined Mario on the other side of the tunnel, his lack of fear and slender frame allowed him to navigate the tight area much easier. "Need a break?"

"Uh..." Mario turned to look at Luigi and let his fireball die. "Yeah. I think so."

The sound of applause echoed in the opening.

"What the?"

Looking all around the brothers spotted Terra standing beside the stalagmite applauding the brothers' success. "Well done. I knew you could do it!"

"Terra?"

"Come." Terra put his hand on the surface of the stalagmite and revealed a hidden doorway carved into the stone surface. "Collect the shard."

Luigi put a hand on Mario's shoulder and guided him toward Terra. "Let's go. You can rest inside."

Walking toward the awaiting Sage Mario put a still shaking hand to his forehead and wiped away the sweat that was beading on his skin. "It's over, right?"

"Yeah, it's over." Luigi reassured him sincerely. "We found the shard."

Terra was sitting on a stone table inside the intricately carved and hollowed stalagmite. In his hands was the second of the the Seven Shards. "Join me."

Shakily Mario sat down before Terra with Luigi taking a seat next to him.

"I sense in you a lingering fear." Terra remarked as he focused in on Mario. "A personal dilemma, correct?"

Mario nodded weakly, admitting his fear to the wise Sage. "Y-yeah. But... I think I'm getting better."

"To what event has put this fear in place?" Terra pressed on. "You are reputed to be fearless and yet I have seen otherwise."

"I... It's just..." Mario sighed wearily and bowed his head. "It's complicated."

Terra turned to Luigi. "Can you elaborate?"

"Uh... It's not really my place to say..." Luigi replied sheepishly. "I know but-"

"It's alright Luigi." Mario interrupted. "You can tell him."

Luigi stared at Mario with an empathetic silence for only a moment before answering Terra. "You see... It started about two years ago when we were tricked into exploring an old mansion by the Boos..."

* * *

Within the darkened confines of the Mushroom Kingdom all activity had ceased. Ruin's power unleashed a dark shockwave that had affected all of those who were caught in the blast radius. Toad Town had been drained of all color, leaving it a gray husk of its former self, while the denizens who had not been struck by the wave had evacuated the town.

Toadsworth, as well as the many Castle Guards had been stricken by the dark power and turned to stone; frozen in time where they stood.

From inside the mirror prison Princess Peach sat on the floor of the infinite locale unable to escape, unable to call for help. Without the glass surface of the mirror she was unable to see anything or anyone.

"Oh, Mario. Please tell me you're safe." She folded her hands together as she made her wish. "Be safe."

A wicked laughter filled the prison, taunting her pleas and leaving her alone to shudder under the booming voice.

"Please!" Peach begged woefully to herself. "Please come back to me! I still need you!"

* * *

Terra listened with great interest as Luigi finished the story, Mario putting in details from his own personal perspective of events. The sad tale answered many questions and empowered Terra with further wisdom.

"I see." Terra put a hand to his chin. "Being trapped within the portrait prison resulted in Mario developing a form of claustrophobia."

Mario nodded subtly. "Yeah. But I didn't realize how much it affected me until I needed to use the Warp Pipe or go underground."

Luigi smiled a little as he offered words of comfort to his shaken brother. "Hey, I didn't know how much ghosts bothered me until I was faced with an entire mansion full of them! Remember? _Ma siamo sopravvissuti._ "

"The world itself trembled, quaking with fear and destruction..." Terra stood up on the stone rising and held out the shard for Mario to take. "And yet you have knowingly dared to travel the deepest and darkest of caves in order to protect those you care for. The mark of a true hero."

Mario gratefully accepted the coveted shard and placed safely inside the protective leather satchel with the first.

"Just as the mountains remains steadfast, so does your determination and your loyalty to each other as brothers. I know now that the shards are truly safe in your hands." Hopping down from where he stood Terra walked toward the doorway and motioned toward the ceiling outside. "If you wish to collect the next shard you must now travel away from the shadows and into the light."

Mario and Luigi joined Terra outside the stalagmite home and looked upward to see a large opening in the top of the cave. From above an array of orange crystals outlined the opening, creating the orange aura. Beyond the crystals the bright shining stars flickered across the night sky.

"Watch your step as you ascend. The next Sage awaits you." Terra informed the heroic brothers confidently. "I bid you farewell. And take care." Disappearing back into his stone home without another word, Mario and Luigi were left alone in the cave.

Luigi adjusted his cap as he looked upward into the glorious night sky. "Well Mario, it's your call. Do we go or do we wait?"

 _ **...to be continued...**_

Italian Translations: "I'm with you." & "I will be okay" & "I'm still with you." & "You made it!" & "But we survived."


	6. Sky's the Limit

Resting beneath the countless glimmering stars in the pitch black night sky, Mario and Luigi watched in silent awe as the natural splendor gave a much needed sense of peace to the wayward heroes. It was a warm, quiet night. The only sound that filled the air was the gentle song of the crickets that nestled beneath the large stones of the mountains. The harsh wind that had blown through the canyon and through the rocky trails had calmed to a gentle breeze that rustled the small shoots of green that sprouted between the rocks.

Laying on his back, his hands folded beneath his head, Mario stared through half opened eyes at the stars above. The leather satchel with the collected two shards was safely resting on his stomach.

Luigi, who was laying a few feet away from Mario, was also laying on his back with one arm tucked under his head as stargazed. "Hey Mario?"

"Yeah?"

"If you want to get some sleep I'll keep watch for a while."

"It's okay, Luigi." Mario sighed wearily. "I think we're too high up to be in any danger."

"Yeah," Luigi casually glanced over the edge of the massive cliff ledge that the brothers had chosen to lay on. "you've got a point there."

"Try to get some sleep. We'll head up the trail at dawn."

"Yeah. Up." Luigi was fixated on the cosmic diamonds in the sky. "Wonder how much higher we'll have to climb. We're almost to the peak of the mountain already!"

"Don't know." Mario shut his eyes and allowed exhaustion to win out. "We'll see in the morning..."

Luigi could hear Mario's voice trail off as he fell into a much needed slumber. Smirking a little Luigi pulled his cap down over his eyes as he let out a tired sigh himself. "Goodnight, bro."

* * *

Deep within the confines of her eternal prison Princess Peach wandered about aimlessly through the seemingly endless hours. The other side of the mirror had no sense of space or reality. With the glass of the mirror broken there was no image to be reflected, nothing to fill the void in which she had been trapped.

Wandering the grey, hollow, quiet nothingness that was no all around her, Peach felt her mind slowly slipping away. "Mario... Where are you? How long has it been?" She paused and looked around at the blank space that surrounded her. "Where do I go from here?"

The answer came in the form of Ruin once again cackling maliciously at her torment.

"Please... Save me..."

* * *

"PRINCESS!" Mario shouted in a blind panic as he jolted upright in a daze of confusion. The satchel fell from his stomach and onto his lap, causing the two shards to clink together.

"Mario?!" Luigi was startled awake by Mario's unexpected outburst. "Mario, what's wrong?!" Kneeling beside his brother he could see the cold sweat dripping down Mario's face and the stains on his shirt. "Nightmare?"

"I... I could... I could see her!" Mario stammered as he put a shaking hand to his face and wiped away the sweat from his brow. "I could see her, Weege."

"Who? The Princess?" Luigi asked as he put a comforting hand on Mario's trembling shoulder. "What do you mean you could see her?"

"She... It was just a dream." Mario realized somewhat embarrassed. "But it seemed so... real."

"It's okay, Mario." Luigi sat beside his brother and helped settle his nerves. "I know a thing or two about vivid nightmares. Trust me."

"Y-yeah..." Mario rested his face against the palm of his hand. "Nightmare."

The sun was beginning to rise from behind the mountains. A warm amber glow bathed over the sleeping mountains stirring the indigenous creatures to life. The crickets fell silent as the mornings birds began to sing a song of their own.

"C'mon." Luigi nudged Mario's shoulder with his own shoulder. "Let's getting going."

"Okay..." Mario picked up the satchel resting on his lap and sighed. "We still have a long way to go."

"Lead the way." Luigi insisted as he stood up and stretched out his shoulders and back. "You seem to have a natural sense of direction."

Mario got up slowly, unsure of his shaky legs could support his weight, and collected his thoughts. "We need to keep going up, so let's climb the peak and see where it takes us."

"Sounds good to me."

Eager to find the next shard of the broken mirror Mario started for the trail that wound up the mountain peak in an increasingly narrow spiral that seemed to disappear into the thickening clouds overhead.

Using the jagged stones that jutted outward from the base of the peak Mario and Luigi began their ascent as they continued to seek the next Sage, and with them, the next shard.

"Mario..." Luigi called out in a short breath. "it's getting a little hard to breathe..."

"Yeah," Mario agreed as he took a moment to pause and take in the deepest breath as he possibly could. "we're really high up."

Luigi dared to look downward and gaze at the staggering height in which he and Mario had ascended. Through the clouds that swam across the morning sky the mountain seemed impossibly small. Even smaller was the Verdant Jungle that met the border of the Black Mountains, and even smaller still was Toad Town in the heart of the Mushroom Kingdom.

"Oh..." Luigi's grip tightened on the rock beneath his palm as the fear of potentially falling abruptly filled his mind. "High. VERY high..."

"Don't think about it." Mario responded as he resumed the climb. "Keep looking up, stop looking down."

"I... uh..." Luigi had to shake his head to clear the mental fog that had set in. "Y-yeah. You're right. L-Let's keep going!"

With waning breaths the courageous brother continued the treacherous climb up the peak. The thinning air and physical exertion quickly began taking its toll on their bodies as the desire to stop and rest began outweighing their drive to keep climbing.

"M-Mario..." Luigi leaned over a small ledge and panted heavily. "I can't... move... anymore."

Mario had to stop as well. He leaned his back against the mountain peak and slid down until he was mercifully sitting still. "Me neither..." Looking up he scaled the rest of the peak and closed his eyes. "I... I don't think... there's much... more to go."

"That's still... too much."

The clouds over the head began parting and revealed the peak to be just a few yards overheard. Atop the peak was nothing but stone.

"Wait!" Mario's heart sank. "Where... Where's the Sage?!"

"I..." Luigi slowly dragging himself up the ledge and kneeled across from his brother. "I don't... know."

"How... How are we... going to... find the rest... of the shards?!"

Bowing his head weakly Luigi was at a loss for words.

Mario slammed his fist angrily onto the stone surface and sneered with bitterness. "No! There HAS to be a way!"

"Mario..." Luigi's heart went out to his brother, knowing that his own heart was breaking.

Unsure of what to say or what to do Luigi merely gazed up at the peak hoping for a clue as to where they should go or what they could do. It was then he noticed a green vine sprouting up from the top of the peak. Following the vine with his eyes he saw that it crept high into the sky and seemed to enter a massive cloud that hung overhead.

"Hey, Mario..." Luigi pointed at the vine. "Look."

Forcing his eyes open Mario followed Luigi's finger and locked his gaze on the vine. Seeing how high it sprouted, seeing it become one with the cloud, a poignant memory came forward. "Wait..." The Kingdom of Nimbusland came to mind. The sky kingdom that his good friend and once traveling companion, Mallow, now called home.

Standing up with newly found energy Mario took a hold of the mountain peak and climbed up to the vine at an incredible pace. "Luigi, I know where to go!" He paused just long enough to look down at his younger brother and coaxed him. "Follow me!"

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	7. What Goes Up

The magnificent green vine extended higher and higher into the cloudy sky, acting like a natural rope that tethered the world below to the sky above. The two weary heroes climbed diligently, bracing their shoulders to the strong, cold winds that howled like ravenous wolves against their taxed bodies. Hand over hand Mario and Luigi steadily climbed the vine to the unseen location concealed behind the thickest, whitest cloud that rested against the eternally blue sky.

Feeling lightheaded from the thin, cold air Luigi rested for a moment on the vine. As he began to shut his eyes he heard a muffled voice calling his name.

"Luigi! Luigi, don't stop climbing!" Mario instructed firmly as he saw his brother struggling to keep climbing. "If you fall... That's it. There's nothing to stop you!"

Luigi looked up at his blurry brother and took in a deep breath. "O-okay... I'm coming."

"That's it, Weege." Mario resumed his climb although at a slower pace for Luigi's sake. "Just keep moving. We're almost to the top."

"Right... The top..."

The wind was merciless as it cut into their skin and stun their eyes. The vine was beginning to sway back and forth as the wind blasted relentlessly through the sky.

"Almost... there!" Mario called down as his hand grabbed a hold of the vine hidden inside the bottom of the cloud. "I think I... found it."

Luigi glanced up but his eyes were burning, making it hard to see. "I'll take... your word for... it." As he continued to climb he felt his hand getting taken from the vine as Mario had reached down to help him. "Thanks."

Mario pulled Luigi upward into the cloud and helped him to rest on an expected stone surface resting inside the cloud. Together the brothers caught their breath and sat in awe of the magnificent structure they've uncovered.

"Mario, how are we sitting on a rock in the clouds?" Luigi asked incredulously as he patted the stone surface with his hand. "I... I don't understand."

Unsure of how it was possible himself he simply stood up and helped Luigi to stand beside him. "I wish I knew."

The stone surface was the floor of an ancient altar that had been raised up from the earth courtesy of the incredible vine. The stones had been eroded due to the harsh winds and brutal sunlight, but the ancient architecture showed so sign of failing anytime soon. At the center of the floor was a massive temple made of the same stone. The temple was covered in small strands of the same massive vine that had led the brothers from the Black Mountains to the floating altar. Intricate carvings of ancient battles surrounded with words of a dead language dated the temple's construction back to the Great War from so long ago...

"This is incredible, Luigi." Mario remarked as he shielded his eyes from the intense sunlight. "The Sage must be here!"

"Then let's go inside." Luigi insisted as he took a slow step toward the temple, the cloudy fog at his feet dissipating beneath his stride. "We need to get that third shard!"

Treading carefully the brothers walked over the stone pathway that hadn't seen any native inhabitants in centuries. A sense of longevity and energy gave off an intangible awe that humbled the heroes as they reached the main entrance to the grande temple.

Stepping inside the stone structure the brothers were greeted by a powerful aroma brewing from a large cauldron in the hearth on the far side of the main chamber.

"Someone's here." Luigi remarked casually as he glanced about suspiciously.

"Smells like they've been cooking all day." Mario tagged on as he approached the bubbling cauldron curiously. "They can't be far away."

"Correct!" A feminine voice rang out as a hooded figure hidden beneath a brown cloak joined the duo, entering from a smaller chamber connected to the main. "I'm never far away when I'm making a special brew."

"Are you...?" Luigi asked their 'hostess' although his speculation told him he already knew the answer.

"I am." The figured dropped her hood revealing herself to be a Toad with cyan spots on her mushroom cap. "I am the Sage of the Wind. Please, call me Zephyr."

"Sage Zephyr," Mario approached her with the utmost respect in his voice. "we've traveled a long way in search of a glass shard. Do you know anything about it?"

"I do." Zephyr confirmed as she gathered together two stone bowls from a trunk beside the cauldron. "I have what you seek. And with it I will give you both knowledge and nourishment."

Luigi was all too happy to stop and listen to a story as his body was begging him to sit still. "We appreciate your hospitality."

"Ah yes, it is a privilege to have visitors. I do so wish to have company more often, but as you know the temple is not one to see much foot traffic."

Luigi looked outside through the main entrance at the clouds wisping by. "Yeah, I can't imagine too many people want to climb a vine into the sky. How'd this temple get way up here, anyway?"

Zephyr pointed to a mural, which depicted the temple's accent, on the far wall. "Shortly after the Sages were assigned the duty of protecting the Mushroom Kingdom's most ancient history and knowledge of artifacts, this temple; which was once a shrine to all magic and wonder, was thrust into the sky as magic flowed into the Verdant Jungle. The jungle spread, its vines tunneling beneath the Black Mountains and breaking through the mountain peak the strongest vine carried the temple to a skyward sanctuary."

Luigi shook his head in disbelief. "Incredible! What better way to keep a secret than to hide it in a floating sanctuary?"

Mario nodded in agreement as he bowed his head. "Do you know something about Ruin that the other Sages haven't told us?"

Zephyr handed one bowl of warm soup to Mario and the second to Luigi as she poured herself a bowl of her own. "We Sages know of the past but only the details that have been passed onto us from our predecessors."

"Why is that?" Luigi asked he graciously looked down at the bowl in his hands.

"To prevent a single powerful evil from exploiting the same Darkness that Ruin herself channeled," Zephyr explained as she motioned for her guests to join her at a great table near the center of the chamber. "the story has been divided and entrusted to multiple Sages to prevent a single Sage from becoming corrupted by the knowledge."

"Smart move." Mario commented as he sat down at the table. "But if you're all separated from one another, how do you know about each other and the events transpiring throughout the Mushroom Kingdom."

Zephyr smiled warmly at the question and provided a just as warm answer. "The wind carries with it much knowledge, just as the earth trembles with change and the jungle sprouts new life. We Sages have our ways."

Luigi was still curious about the connections between the Sages but decided to not press the matter further. He was too tired and too hungry to engage in a deep conversation.

"Now," Zephyr nodded toward Mario and locked eyes on the satchel around his shoulder. "you're here to collect the third shard of the mirror. I have the shard you need but I fear I must inform you of the dangers you're about to face."

"Danger?" Luigi swallowed nervously. "More dangerous than climbing a cloud?"

Zephyr smiled again at the innocent question. "Much. But there is no doubt that you both will succeed in your quest."

Mario's mind flashed back to his nightmare, to seeing the Princess trapped and helpless and alone. "What's happening to the Mushroom Kingdom, Zephyr?"

Sadly Zephyr stepped away from the table and retreated to the smaller chamber for a moment. "From the clouds I witnessed a dark shock wave spread across the Kingdom, like an unnatural ripple across a still pond." She returned with the glass shard in her hands. "The ripple originated from the Castle and left it in a timeless state of stone."

"It did _what_?!" Mario couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What... what do we have to do to save the Castle?"

Zephyr kept her tone calm and confident as she attempted to give the brothers the answers they sought. "The restore the Castle, and those trapped within, you must restore the mirror. Once Ruin has been imprisoned beyond the glass her dark influence will fade and the Castle will return to its original state."

"That's all?" Mario sounded mildly relieved at the revelation. "Then... where do we go from here? Where's the fourth shard?"

"My friend, it's not the simple." Zephyr solemnly began her explanation to the anxious heroes. "To restore the mirror you MUST overcome Ruin's power and defeat the sorceress before her spell spreads across the rest of the Mushroom Kingdom."

"Spell?!" Luigi didn't like the sound of that and nearly jumped to his feet. "She cast a spell?"

"Ruin wishes for the world to be reborn in fire," Zephyr confirmed the previous knowledge the brothers had acquired. "to do so she requires a personal sanctuary to protect herself from the very flames she wishes to unleash upon the innocent."

Mario now understood why the Castle and those inside were encased in stone. "The stone will protect her. She's going to use the Castle as her stronghold!"

Zephyr nodded sadly and closed her kind eyes. "It appears so."

"C'mon Luigi," Mario stepped toward Zephyr with a fire of his own burning in his eyes. "we gotta' keep moving!"

"You're right." Luigi hopped down from his seat and stood beside Mario. "Zephyr, where is the next Sage?"

Handing the third shard over to Mario's outstretched hands, Zephyr directed the brave heroes to their next destination. "To locate the next Sage you must descend the vine and you must follow the Lost River. It'll lead you to the Sage."

"Follow the Lost River, got it!" Mario confirmed as he tucked the third shard away with the previous two inside the satchel. "Thank you for all your help. We won't fail."

Placing her hand on Mario's arm the wise Sage empathized with the determined brothers. "I don't doubt it. But be careful. The Lost River is fraught with dangerous and powerful currents. If you were to get swept away then, you too, will be lost."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	8. Must Come Down

Returning to the vine from whence the brothers climbed, the duo began a steady, careful descent from the sky temple back down to the peak of the Black Mountains far, far below. Passing through the wisping clouds and enduring the harsh winds, with Mario leading the way, he and Luigi painstakingly paced themselves as they returned to the world below.

The view was spectacular, yet ominous.

"Look at that, Luigi!" Mario pointed through a thinning veil of clouds to the horizon just barely visible behind the mountain range. "I can see a river!"

Looking to where his brother was pointing Luigi squinted his eyes and locked onto the hidden destination. "I think you're right!" There was a winding line that cut through the earth, surrounded by bright green flora. "I think that's the Lost River!"

"Let's keep going." Mario out confidently as he picked up the pace. "We need to get over there as soon as possible!"

"Slow down, Mario!" Luigi tried to keep up but his arms were already too tired to match Mario's speed. "Don't fall!"

"I won't-" Mario had an interesting idea and was just eager enough to try it. "I have an idea..."

Wrapping his legs around the vine and loosening his grip, Mario began sliding down the green stalk like a firefighter down the pole!

"Luigi! Follow me!" Mario shouted as he quickly slid down the vine at a much quicker speed than he or Luigi could ever attain through the simple act of hand-over-hand. "Slide!"

"S-Slide?!" Luigi didn't like the idea of sliding down the towering vine, let alone climbing it in the first place. "Uh..."

As Mario disappeared from sight, leaving only a blur of red as he sped back toward the earth, Luigi closed his eyes tight and took a deep breath.

"Here I go..." Mimicking Mario's posture Luigi began a rapid descent down the staggeringly tall vine. "GAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

Sliding down the vine at an incredible speed the brothers reached the peak of the Black Mountain in record time! Mario reached the end of the vine first. Stepping aside as he waited for Luigi he dusted the green flecks of vine from his hands with a sense of a job well done. Glancing upward he watched as Luigi made his way down and came to an abrupt halt just a few feet from the bottom.

"Easy. Right Weege?" Mario teased as he watched his shaken brother slowly slide the rest of the way down the vine and gratefully plant his boots on the rocky surface of the mountain peak.

"Y-Yeah... Easy." Luigi was shaking from the fast ride but was able to compose himself just as fast. Clearing his throat he too dusted off his hands, adjusted his cap and gave his brother a halfhearted smile. "Uh... Wh-which way do we go?"

Mario turned his head slightly and nodded in the direction of the Lost River. "We head North. We should meet up with the river just beyond those boulders." Checking the strap of the satchel around his shoulder, satisfied that it was secure, Mario led the way. "We better get moving."

"Whoa, Mario." Luigi reached out and grabbed Mario's shoulder lightly. "I want to save the Princess and the rest of the Kingdom as bad as you do, but if you don't take it easy you're going to exhaust yourself and be of no help to anyone!"

"I'm fine, Luigi." Mario replied bitterly as he pulled his shoulder free. "I know my limits."

"...so do I." Luigi quietly muttered under his breath.

"I know what I'm doing. Now, come on. Just past the boulders."

"Yeah." Luigi solemnly followed as Mario marched onward. "Right..."

* * *

Princess Peach sat quietly in her isolation. She had no sense of time or place as the blankness of the mirror realm's prison ensnared her every sense of direction. She felt as though she had walked a thousand miles, yet never left her place. She believed that she had been alone for years, but hadn't aged a day. She believed that if she wandered long enough she'd find her way out, but there was no doorway or window to be found.

"I feel like I've been here forever..." She whispered as she wrapped her arms around herself in a comforting hug. "How long have I been alone?"

" _Not long enough..._ " Ruin's hissing voice taunted her from an unseen location. " _You've only begun to know the suffering through which I have endured for millenia_."

"Why are you doing this?!" Peach demanded, her voice echoing forever through the eternal prison. "Why have you brought me here?!"

" _This world has been corrupted_..." Ruin all but growled at the fair princess. " _I shall restore it to a glory that was so very near my grasp_."

"'Near'..." Peach repeated softly. "You were stopped before." She stood up and clenched her hands into tight fists. "You failed before you and will fail again!"

" _SILENCE_." Ruin's voice caused the entire prison to tremble violently. " _This is the dawning of a new era, an era that shall be cleansed in fire and rise from the ashes. The Mushroom Kingdom will expand. It shall wipe out all of the wretched vermin who were born of the blood of my ancestors. I shall have my revenge, and with it... peace_."

Despite being unable to see Ruin, only hear her, Peach knew the vile sorceress had left her alone once more. "Please Mario... I know you can do this. Save the Mushroom Kingdom. Save us all, before it's too late."

* * *

Climbing over the top and through the boulders that separated the Black Mountains from the Lost River, the brothers set foot on soft earth that transitioned into a grassy plain of rich, green flora that met royal blue water. The air smelled of fresh flowing water and sang with the melody of the dragonflies and frogs that lived along the riverbank.

"Made it." Mario commented as he stepped closer to the raging river just yards away. "We have to follow the river."

Luigi cautiously stayed back from the river, Zephyr's warning still fresh in his mind. "Careful, bro."

"Relax Luigi, I'm just checking the current to see which way the river flows." Mario casually dismissed Luigi's concerns and kneeled beside the river. "It's running North."

"Okay, get back and we'll start walking."

Mario didn't back away from the river. He chose to instead to walk along the river bank. Whether he couldn't hear Luigi's voice over the churning currents and rapids, or if he simply ignored his brother couldn't be said for sure.

"Mario-" Luigi just shook his head, visibly annoyed by his brother's stubbornness. "Forget it." Trailing behind Mario, but still a safe distance from the river, Luigi kept one wary eye on the fast current.

The river widened marginally, creating softer and softer soil as the bank increased in breadth. Massive boulders broke through the surface of the water, creating small whirlpools which only empowered the unstoppable currents. The rapids became more violent and the current sped up, eroding away the earth that contained the river in single canyon. Much of the flora that outlined the bank had been washed away by the powerful waves, while the roots of massive trees were exposed and loomed over the river like winding tendrils of a massive spider web.

Mario kept his place right beside the river, refusing to back away or even consider the danger he was putting himself in.

As Luigi followed behind Mario he felt the ground beneath his feet shift. Jumping back he watched as a large portion of the ground broke loose and fell into the river to be swept away.

"Mario! Get back!" Luigi called out anxiously, knowing that if the ground was unstable even as far away as he was that surely the ground was even worse where Mario was walking.

"Stop worrying, Luigi!" Mario defied in a rather terse tone. "I know what-" The ground shifted and he lost his balance.

As he fell to his hands and knees the satchel slipped from his shoulder, getting snagged on the crumbling ground and into the river!

"No!" Mario cried out as he clumsily regained his balance. "The shards!"

Luigi was at his brother's side in an instant, but just as quickly as he appeared Mario himself disappeared in a blinding sprint down the river in pursuit of the satchel.

"Mario! Wait!" Luigi gave chase not wanting to lose his brother.

Completely focused on the satchel floating just near the surface of the water Mario tried to think of a way to retrieve the dropped item before it was lost to the river. Looking ahead, following the current, he saw a massive tree that had fallen and was leaning precariously over the river. Putting all his effort into running Mario raced the satchel down the river and to the tree.

The tree was as ancient as it was massive! The leaves had all died long ago and many of the branches had been broken away from age and exposure. It was extremely wide but the years of rot made the tree look deceptively strong, while it was in fact quite hollow.

"Mario... What are...?" Luigi watched bewildered as Mario began running up the side of the down tree.

Using a low hanging branch from the dead tree Mario hung upside by his legs and reached his hand down toward the surface of the river. The long dead tree creaked and groaned under Mario's weight, but held fast for the moment. As soon as the satchel passed under his fingertips he reached into the churning water and grabbed the satchel by the strap.

"Gotcha'!" Mario declared proudly as he pulled the satchel from the water. The tree creaked louder as a thunderous 'crack' emanated from the ancient trunk. "Oh no..." Mario knew the tree was going to give out, and soon! "Luigi!"

"Right here, Mario!" Luigi was standing at the end of the tree, one foot on the trunk and the other planted firmly on the riverbank. "Climb back over, quick!"

The tree creaked again and began bending downward, threatening to topple into the river.

"Take it!" Mario screamed as he threw the satchel to Luigi. With the motion and weight shift from Mario's toss shaking the tree the trunk began creaking and snapping even more.

Catching the satchel Luigi quickly threw it over his shoulder and threw himself on the end of the tree, hoping the addition of his weight would be enough to keep the tree from falling until Mario was able to cross back safely. "I got it! Now move!"

Before Mario even had the chance to turn pull himself up to safety the branch he was hanging from snapped! Reacting quickly he grabbed onto the massive round trunk with both arms and hung dangerously over the river.

"Mario!?" Luigi watched wide eyed as his brother began slipping off the broken trunk. "Hang on!"

"Luigi..." Mario looked over at his brother one last time before the tree finally gave out and broken in half, tumbling into the raging river below!

Luigi was violently thrown to the ground as the tree snapped, unable to do a thing about it.

Falling into the river with the ancient, broken timber Mario's head went under the swift current as he was pulled down the flowing river.

"NO!" Luigi scrambled to his feet and raced down the riverbank with eyes fixated on the blur of red beneath the pure blue being swept away.

The river's speed continued to increase and the rapids became louder as it continued to snake through the landscape. It was then Luigi spotted the waterfall ended the Lost River and started the beginning of the famously deep Cobalt Lake...

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	9. Lost

It was quiet and the air was still. Numbness swam over his body as he felt himself drifting aimlessly through the colorless, nothingness that surrounded him. Feeling a welcomed flow of eerie peace and calm Mario surrendered to the unknown serenity that was enveloping his every sense of being. As Mario prepared to let go of everything, as he prepared to let himself wander freely without pain in this eternal bliss, a voice called out to him piercing the silence.

"Mario!" The voice was faint but distinct and familiar. "Help me!"

"P-Princess?" Mario slowly opened his eyes and stared blankly at the nothingness above him. "I... Where... are you?"

"Mario!" She called out again, her voice now closer and more pleading. "Please! Save me! I need you!"

"N-need me..." Mario's vision began to clear as a bright light shined down from the nothingness. "I... Princess?"

"Please!" Her voice echoed one last time as a new voice, just as familiar called forth.

"Wake up!"

* * *

Sitting upright in a bolt of shock and adrenaline Mario felt a strong, warm arm wrap around him and hold him still in a firm hug. The nothingness faded away as reality swam into his vision. Peach's voice was silent once more.

"L-Luigi?" Mario asked confused as his voice shook with uncertainty.

"Thank-" Luigi swallowed his grief before continuing. "I thought I lost you."

"Lost?"

"Lay back down." Luigi instructed as he helped Mario lay flat on his back on a soft brown blanket. A second blanket was already draped over him. "You need to rest."

Looking around Mario realized that he and Luigi were inside of a large cave with a crashing waterfall curtaining off the entrance. Rich green moss crawled over the damp stones as fresh water dripped down steadily from the stalactites overhead. A large bonfire burned in the center of the cave warming it with an enchanted glow. It was then he spotted his clothing laid out and drying on a large rock near a smaller bonfire a few yards away.

"What happened?" Mario asked softly as fatigue suddenly washed over him. "Where are we?"

"Rest." Luigi repeated as he pulled the blanket up over Mario's bare chest. "I'll explain everything later."

Unable to stay awake Mario let slumber overtake his mind and his body relaxed.

For what seemed like days Mario slept, only coming to his senses when a small hand pressed against the side of his face. Opening his eyes his vision slowly came into focus revealing a hooded figure kneeling over him.

"You're awake." The kind, feminine voice whispered to him. "I'm glad. Your brother will be relieved, as well."

"Luigi?" Mario blinked slowly as he turned his head and spotted Luigi asleep, his back leaning against the cave's wall as he dozed. He too had a brown blanket draped over himself.

"Your brother is quite well. Tired, but well." The Toad lowered her hood and revealed her face. She had indigo colored spots on her mushroom cap and a gentle smile on her face. "My name is Brook."

"Brook?"

"Sage of the Water."

"The Sage?" Mario laughed a little to himself. "Luigi found the Sage?"

Brook patted Mario's arm lightly. "Actually, I found him."

"What happened to me? The last thing I remember was... falling into the river."

Taking a small stone bowl with a mixing stone in her hands Brook sat beside Mario as she prepared to tell him about everything that she had witnessed. "It was a very close call for you, my stubborn friend." She remarked as she placed a red mushroom inside the bowl and began crushing it into a fine powder. "But you are both here and that's all that matters."

"Tell me," Mario insisted as he failed to sit upright. "what happened?"

* * *

"Mario!" Luigi raced the river as fast he could run, unable to outrun the raging current that pulled his brother downstream. "MARIO?!"

Helplessly Luigi watched as Mario's body was pulled over the waterfall and plummeted into the deep lake that was sat precariously far below the towering fall.

"No..." Luigi came to sudden halt at the edge of the falls and looked down at the churning foam of the river as it crashed into Cobalt Lake.

As a horrible vice tightened around his heart Luigi stood atop the falls and stared down with absolute horror on his face. With his mind racing and his heart aching Luigi tightened the strap of the satchel around his shoulder and took a deep breath. As he shut his eyes he took a head first dive from the falls and into the lake below.

Reaching the cold water with a painful splash Luigi forced his opened as he gazed through the dark water in an attempt to locate his missing brother. His keen eyes focused on a swatch of red drifting downward deeper and deeper into the heart of the lake.

Swimming quickly Luigi dove into the depths and reached his hand out for his brother. Managing to grab a hold of Mario's arm Luigi pulled his brother to the surface in a near-blind panic!

Breaking through the surface of the water Luigi coughed loudly and pulled Mario up until the back of his head was resting against his own shoulder.

"M-Mario?" Luigi sputtered as he struggled to catch his breath while keeping himself and Mario afloat. "Mario?!"

Mario never was unconscious and very pale.

Luigi listened intently as he placed his ear beside Mario's face, hoping to either hear or feeling his brother's breath against his skin, but there was nothing!

"Hold on..." Luigi urged swimming as gracefully as he was fast to the edge of the lake with Mario in tow. "almost there."

Pulling himself by one arm out of the lake Luigi dragged Mario out of the water and onto the lakeside bank, onto his back. Pressing an ear to Mario's chest Luigi listened again for any sign of breathing but heard nothing.

"No, not like this!" Luigi almost barked as he pressed his hands against Mario's chest and began compressing rhythmically. "Come on..."

Keeping a precise rhythm and controlled strength Luigi compressed Mario's chest in attempt to force the water out of Mario's lungs.

"Don't do this, bro..." Luigi begged with tears in his eyes. "I still need you! The Princess still needs you! Think of the Princess! I know you can hear me!"

A sudden spasm followed by a choking fit startled Luigi as Mario began coughing up the lake water. Turning Mario onto his side Luigi support Mario's back as his brother finally showed signs of life.

"That's it!" Luigi encouraged as he felt his brother take in slow shallow breaths. "Breathe!"

On edge after the intense events Luigi was kneeling protectively at his brother's side. The feeling of being watched was powerful and almost feral. The hairs on the back of Luigi's neck went up as his eyes were drawn instinctively back to the waterfall.

Mario stopped coughing and his body relaxed beneath Luigi's touch. Placing a hand beneath Mario's head Luigi lifted his brother up from the bank and let him rest against his long arm.

"Who's there?" Luigi asked angrily as he stared intently at the waterfall. "I know you're there! Show yourself!"

* * *

"You found us," Mario whispered as all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. "and brought us here."

"That's right." Brook confirmed as he took a small flash from her brown tunic. "This is my home: the Ancient Cave. We are safely hidden away behind the Lost Waterfall, which as you many have guess, connects to the Lost River."

"Thank you for helping us."

Brook finished grinding the mushroom into a powder and added some pure spring water from the flask to the compound. Mixing the powder into a pink broth she gently lifted Mario's head and pressed the bowl to his lips. "Drink this. It'll keep you from getting sick."

Mario obeyed and drank the sweet medicinal mixture and readily laid back down. "Luigi saved me..." He quietly said to himself.

"Yes." Brook acknowledged Mario's admission much to his dismay. "You are very lucky to have such a loyal brother."

"Yeah... I am." Mario sighed as he turned his head and smiled at Luigi, then grimaced at his own behavior. "I just wish I hadn't been such a bullheaded jerk to him!"

Brook laughed at Mario before turning her focus to the bonfire and stoked the flames with a big stick. "You are brothers. Bickering is normal."

Mario closed his eyes still feeling guilty for his earlier actions toward Luigi. "But if I had listened to him when he told me to back away from the river-"

"You wouldn't have fallen in?" Brook finished Mario's thought before had the chance.

"Well... Yeah."

"You know this for sure?" She pressed on curiously.

"Huh?"

Brook just smiled again as he turned back to Mario. "As I stated earlier, I found Luigi and he was with you. Do you believe I found you two out of pure luck?"

Mario didn't know how to answer he instead just kept his silence.

"No, my friend. I have been waiting for the hero, or in this case; heroes, who would venture the Lost River in search of the glass shard that arrived the morning before. I watched you as you traveled the river and I watched at the earth gave way beneath your brother's feet even as he walked at a safer distance from the river." She brushed a lock of brown hair from Mario's face as she rested her hand on his forehead. "There is no to prove that you wouldn't have fallen into the river, regardless of where you tread."

Still feeling like a horrible person Mario shut his eyes and sighed wearily. "I should've listened to him."

"Perhaps. But try not to fret." Brook retraced her hand. "You're running a mild fever. Do not strain yourself. By dawn you should be well enough to continue on, if you so dare."

Remembering his dream... (Or was it a hallucination?) Hearing Princess Peach calling out to him, pleading with him to find a way to rescue her ate away at his every thought.

"I..." Mario paused and took in a deep breath. " _We_ ," he corrected himself before continuing. "we have to keep going. The Princess needs us."

"A worthy answer, heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom." Brook smiled warmly before strolling to the back of the waterfall and into the mossy cave within. "Rest well, for tomorrow your journey resumes."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	10. Found

The night beneath the crashing waterfall was restless for the exhausted heroes. Mario had recovered from his near drowning but still needed to regain his strength before continuing his journey. Unable to calm his increasingly worried thoughts for Princess Peach or silence his guilt for being so stubborn toward Luigi, Mario spent the cool night staring at the moss stretching across the ceiling of the cave overhead.

Luigi had fallen asleep thanks entirely to his own exhaustion, both mental and physical. The kind Sage of the Water, Brook, had draped a blanket over Luigi when he had finally succumbed to slumber and he was now sleeping peacefully against the cave wall.

Brook herself kept watch over the heroes from the depths of the cave behind the waterfall. Her knowledge of the world's most ancient history had given her insight into natural remedies and medicine. As she kept vigil over the brothers she mixed a small vial of potion for the heroes to take on their journey.

Unable to sleep Mario slowly sat upright and sighed as he stared at his dried clothes resting on a large boulder beside the dying smaller bonfire. Wrapping the blanket around himself he stood up on weak, shaking legs he silently made his way toward his clothing.

"Can't sleep?" Brook's voice called out softly as she watched the hero rise to his feet.

"No. Not really." Mario admitted as he grabbed his overalls and stood on the opposite side of the boulder out of Brook's sight as an act of humility. "Too much to think about."

"I understand." Brook popped a cork in the glass vial of the blue tinted medicine before continuing. "Compassion and empathy aren't without their faults."

Partially dressed Mario reached for his red shirt as he walked back around the boulder. "But they aren't weaknesses, either." Mario replied as he slipped the shirt on over his head.

"No." Brook smiled. Taking the vial in her hand she stood before the large bonfire and gazed longingly into the dancing flames. "Our greatest strengths are born from our greatest weaknesses."

Replacing his red cap atop his head and slipping on his white gloves Mario picked up his brown boots and joined Brook at the bonfire.

"The same fire that melts the most delicate of ice can forge the strongest of steel." Brook explained as she peered through the fire at Mario who was standing on the other side.

Tying his boot laces Mario sat on the cave floor and closed his eyes as the Sage's wise words sunk in.

"And just as there is Darkness all around us, there is always Light. Always." She smiled warmer than the bonfire itself. "It was this very Light that allowed Ruin and her Darkness to be sealed away inside the mirror. And with the combined Light of two brave heroes the Darkness can be banished for good."

Luigi had been awakened by the conversation echoing in the cave. Stretching his arms over his head he let out a heavy yawn and focused on the voices speaking. "Mario?" Tossing the blanket aside he scrambled to his feet and took a knee beside his brother. "You're alright!"

"Yeah." Mario opened his eyes and smiled at Luigi. "Thanks to you, bro."

Luigi blushed a little but kept his humility as he sat beside his brother. "Don't worry about it. You would've done the same for me."

"The shards?" Mario asked curiously.

"They're safe." Luigi pointed to the cave where Brook had taken solitude. "They're all together in the cave."

"Good..." Mario was relieved to know the glass shards had survived his foolishness. "You saved them."

"...Yeah." Luigi acknowledged with a slight hesitation in his voice. "But I was more focused on saving _you_."

Mario arched an eyebrow with a twinge of shock as he stared intently at Luigi's face. "But without the shards-"

"I know! I know..." Luigi didn't want to think about the possible alternative consequences to his actions. "It would've been selfish if I chose to save you over everyone else..."

Brook spoke up, stopping the brothers' guilt riddled exchange before it became too bleak. "The glass shards would have survived the waterfall, Mario. You would not." Taking her leave to return to the cave she continued speaking. "As I'm sure the previous Sages have explained: The shards are drawn to magic. The Cobalt Lake is an ancient as the mirror itself. Magic and raw energy flow through the water, assuring that the glass shards would be found in the dark depths again."

This knowledge did little to ease the worry that the brothers had endured during their travels.

"Cobalt Lake," Brook continued as she returned to the bonfire with the leather satchel in her hands. "is rumored to connect the side of the world to the other. A long, watery tunnel supposedly stretches from the lake, passing through the world's core, and ending at lake just as deep and dark on the other side."

"Meaning...?" Luigi was a little confused by the Sage's story.

"Meaning," Brook handed the satchel to Mario and stealthily tucked the vial of medicine away inside. "there will always be a way to reach those we love. Even those we fear we may have lost."

Mario understood the story and accepted the satchel gratefully. "Thank you."

"Now," Brook nodded in the direction of the cave from whence she dwelled. "the fifth Sage surely awaits you in the East. Nestled within a barren landscape you will find the ruins of an ancient library. The shard you seek will be protected within."

Luigi got to his feet first and held out his hand to help Mario stand beside him. "Should we be aware of anything harmful in the area?"

Mario wrapped his hands around the strap of the satchel tightly, contemplating Luigi's question while looking back at his past mistake that almost cost him his own life.

"Throughout the landscape wayward souls wander aimlessly. Whether they are dangerous or not, I cannot say."

Mario stood up straight and tall and nodded respectfully to Brook. "Thank you for all your help."

"You are most welcome, my brave heroes. Now, go!" She pointed a guiding hand toward the back of the cave. "With every second that passes Ruin's power increases."

Knowing that time was of the essence the brothers walked side by side into the dimly lit cave and found the tunnel nestled in the shadows.

"Mario, are you ready?" Luigi was still worried for his brother's health, but didn't want him to feel like he was somehow too weak to continue. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes. Let's go." Turning his full attention to Luigi he handed the satchel to his cautious brother. "Here. I want you to carry the shards."

"Me?" Luigi asked incredulously. "But... why?"

"Because I trust you. I know you'll keep them safe."

"Th-Thanks. Mario." Luigi accepted the satchel and slipped it over his shoulder.

Mario patted Luigi's shoulder affectionately before setting foot inside the entrance of the tunnel. "Let's go."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	11. Feeling Overshadowed

Kneeling on the cold ground of the pale, gray ever expansive mirror's dungeon Princess Peach wrapped her arms somberly around herself and wept just as silently as the prison stood idle. The silence of the seemingly eternal prison inside the dark mirror gnawed away at her psyche as she was made increasingly aware of her isolation.

"Mario..." Peach whispered between her heart wrenched sobs. "I know you will come for me. But please," she opened her reddened teary eyes and stared into the expansive oblivion overhead. "hurry! I need you! I need you now more than ever!"

" _He will come_." Ruin hissed ruthlessly as he presence taunted the emotionally taxed Princess from afar. " _But he will fail_."

"No." Peach wiped the tear trails from her face defiantly. "Mario will succeed! He'll never give up!" Standing up from the ground and squaring her shoulders as her arms dropped to her sides and her hands clenched into tight fists she made her determination known. "And neither shall I!"

" _Bold words by a frail being_." Ruin continued to taunt the reluctant prisoner all the more. " _What is it do you think you are fighting for? A pitiful Kingdom that is weak and ruled by weakness_?"

"No!" Peach's words were weighted with both anger and courage. "I'm fighting for the innocent people who look to me as their ruler!"

" _Your lowly worshipers. How 'noble'._ " Ruin's retort was bitter, if not sarcastic.

"You're wrong." Peach refused to let Ruin speak in a such horrible manner about those she loved dear. "The Mushroom Kingdom may not be a Kingdom of war or power, but it is a Kingdom of love. And love is something so powerful, so indomitable that even someone as cold and cruel as you can't stop it!"

Ruin faded into the prison, her form nothing more than a semi-transparent depiction that stood face to face with Peach. " _You will soon learn your place_."

Peach was taken aback by the form Ruin had long since taken. The painful memories of her time as the vessel for the Shadow Queen flooded her mind. She remembered being helpless to the shadowy demon's power, being unable to stop herself from attacking Mario and his brave new friends. She remembered how the Shadow Queen used her voice to say horrible, demeaning threats to the innocent people who had risked everything to save her.

"No... You look just like..." She barely found the words as the memories ached her heart. Her tight fists went limp.

" _A fitting form. Don't you agree_?" Ruin menaced wickedly as she took great pleasure in Peach's discomfort. " _Who better to claim power over this world than the shadow of the very being who was destined to rule since birth_?"

Unable to speak Peach just stared at her dark doppelganger with absolute horror in her rapidly pounding heart.

" _Beings of Light cast the deepest shadows; a Darkness truly worthy of my power_." Ruin smiled wickedly and flipped her hair arrogantly. " _When your dear Mario and his brother set foot inside the Castle, their fates shall be sealed_."

Fading away with a twisted grin on her face, the vile Sorceress Ruin left Peach alone once more to tremble in fear.

"M-Mario... Luigi?" Peach knew in her heart that Ruin had a terrible plot and was anticipating her friends' every move. "What have I done? I'm so sorry..." She wrapped her arms around herself again as one more tear rolled down her soft cheek. "This is my fault. Please... forgive me."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	12. Dust and Stone

It seemed like the tunnel that had been naturally carved beneath the waterfall cavern by time and erosion stretched through the earth for all eternity. It was dark and cold, the stone walls covered in a fine layer of dew and tufts of thick green moss. With only shallow beams of light that pierced the tunnel through thin cracks that lined the ceiling, Mario and Luigi trudged silently through the tunnel unsure of what to expect once they finally reached the end.

A spot of light from deep within the darkness grew ever brighter as they stepped closer. The light was warm and welcoming, almost beckoning the heroes onward.

"There it is." Mario quickened his pace through the tunnel, his footsteps echoing softly off the hard tunnel walls. "We're almost on the other side."

"It's about time." Luigi kept pace with his brother as he patted the satchel that was resting against his side. "I've had enough of dark, damp places for one day."

Breaking through the end of the tunnel and into the open landscape the brothers shielded their eyes from the intense light as they were halted in their tracks by the sight of the new terrain that was laid before them.

The earth was dried and cracked from the decades of consistent drought and harsh sunlight. What flora that had managed to bloom was now dead and dried, leaving only husks behind. The only sound and sensation came from the wind that blew the loose earth into dust clouds that obscured the sunlight for only the briefest of moments.

Mario took in a deep breath and tightened his cap down over his hair to ensure that he didn't lose it a second time. "Come on, Luigi. We have to find the library."

"Yeah, but where do we start looking?" Luigi inquired as he followed his brother as he began trekking in a straight line to an unknown destination.

"I don't know. I guess we just have to move and keep out eyes peeled."

"But it looks like there hasn't been any life in these parts in decades, maybe centuries! I can't imagine a civilization ever calling this place home, even thousands of years ago."

Mario shook his head doubtfully as he pushed himself to continue on against the intense sun and wind. "I wish I knew what to say Weege. All I do know for sure is we must keep looking. The Princess and Mushroom Kingdom are counting on us."

"You're right." Luigi agreed with a twinge of optimism in his tone of voice. "Lead the way, bro!"

* * *

Ruin's twisted spell continued to expand across the Mushroom Kingdom as it completely engulfed Princess Peach's Castle and began to overtake the outskirts of Toad Town. Stone conjured by the dark magic cast itself over buildings and streets. Every Toad who had managed to escape the spell when it was first cast was now fleeing for their lives!

Houses and shops were left abandoned as the frightened Toads scattered in all directions.

Ruin's power was growing stronger by the second...

" _Soon I will have the Kingdom that was taken from me_." The wicked Sorceress hissed bitterly as she watched the ripple of stone creep across the land through broken glass of the stained window. " _I will take what is mine and only the blood of those who betrayed me shall quell the flames that shall cleanse this world_."

Stone rumbled as it swept over the land in an unstoppable wave.

" _Come to me, heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom_. _I am waiting_."

* * *

Exhausted from the heat and still feeling weak from his near drowning Mario was slowing his pace and hunching his posture. Luigi took notice of his brother's struggle to keep up his usual speed and slowed his own to ensure they were still walking side by side.

"You okay, Mario?" Luigi asked while trying to feign innocent ignorance. "Want to rest for a moment?"

"No. I'm fine. How about you?" Mario denied his tiredness and tried to dismiss the concern entirely.

"I'm okay. I just wish this wind would quit stinging my eyes." Luigi didn't want to press the matter, fearing it might provoke Mario into pushing himself harder out of spite. "As soon as I find a shady spot I'm going to take a few minutes to get the sand out of my clothes!"

Mario smirked a little as he recognized Luigi's attempts to hide his concern and act nonchalant. "Yeah, think I'll join you in that shady spot."

It wasn't too much longer that Mario could feel his legs beginning to tremble under the stress of his own fatigue. If he pushed himself to continue walking he knew that eventually his legs would give out and that'd he collapse.

"Hey, Luigi..." Mario nearly panted as he was on the verge of admitting defeat. "I think we should stop for a moment. Try to find something in the area to give us an idea of where we are and where we should go."

Relieved to hear that his brother wanted to finally take a break Luigi agreed readily and wholeheartedly. "Good idea!" He pointed to a nearby fallen tree log. "Let's sit for a moment and gather our thoughts."

Taking a seat on the fallen log Mario felt every muscle in his legs twitching and tingling with sporadic numbness. Luigi was just as tired from diving into the water after Mario, but of course he didn't want his big brother to know and worry about him. Sitting next to Mario on the log to the heroic brothers just watched the sand swirl around in dusty clouds along the ground and into the steadily graying sky above.

"Think it'll rain?" Luigi asked both curiously and to end the unsettling silence.

"Doubt it. From the looks of this place rainfall is a rarity if it ever does happen."

"I still can't imagine any civilization ever calling this forsaken place a home."

"Makes you really appreciate our small house outside Toad Town."

"Yeah. I'd hate to live in such a lifeless, sad looking place."

As the world around the heroes continued to darken the red and green clad brothers seemed to shine brighter than the barren land.

The wind blew dead plants aimlessly across the land as it eroded surface layers revealing more of the dear ground beneath. With it a a strange plank of wood was uncovered.

Mario noticed the plank and picked it out of the sand and stared at the faded, dead words printed into the wood. ' _I wonder what this says_?' He thought to himself as he stared at the barely visible characters. ' _At least we know that someone did once live here, a long time ago_...'

Wiping his face with his sleeve of his shirt Luigi blinked a few times to rid the dryness that bothered him. "If anything I hope the wind dies down."

Mario looked toward the sky as he tossed the plank casually to his side and watched as the gray clouds thickened over the relentless sun overhead. "At least the sunlight isn't as harsh as it was before."

"Good point." Luigi continued to blink rapidly, not really focusing on anything but the discomfort, when an unusual shape in the distance caught his attention. "Hey... What's that?"

"What's what?" Mario inquired as he followed Luigi's gaze. "That?"

"Yeah... It doesn't look like it belongs out here."

"Yeah, you're right!" Mario replied with unexpected enthusiasm. "Luigi, I think you found it!"

"Found what? The library?"

"Yeah!" Mario jumped from the log and to his feet, his legs almost buckling beneath his weight. "Look! That, my dear brother, is a building!"

"I... I think you're right!" Luigi jumped from the log just as fast as Mario and stared at the structure in the distance. "We better get going!"

The isolated structure was in fact not a natural creation of the land, but that of a intelligent being and their tools. A tall, singular tower jutted out from the barren nothingness into the sky. It was cylindrical in design with a dome as its roof. A circular balcony wrapped around the tower just below the roof line, creating a perfect lookout. Along the balcony torches were being lit, one by one, by an unseen occupant.

"Whoa!" Luigi stopped dead in his tracks as he saw the torches suddenly glowing in the distance. His arm wrapped around the satchel protectively, almost as if he could sense an invisible danger looming nearby. "Mario... Somebody's in there!"

"It has to be the Sage!" Mario responded confidently without stopping or breaking stride. "Who else could be out here?"

"That's exactly my point!"

That's all it took for Mario to stop and think. Luigi was right. Sage Brook admitted that she was unsure of any dangers that could be in the area, maybe they were walking into a trap devised by Ruin herself.

"Mario, we need to be careful." Luigi urged as he rejoined his brother. "How do we go about this? We have to be careful."

Mario didn't answer. For the first time, in a very long time, he was unsure of what to do next. Recklessness almost cost him his life. How was he to know if he was making the right choices?

"Mario?" Luigi put his hand on Mario's shoulder and shook gently. "Hey, Bro? You okay?"

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	13. Strength in Hope

Statuesque with uncertainty Mario just stared silently at the massive tower just yards from where he stood. The unknown prospect of what awaited the heroic brothers within kept Mario from progressing. The building and the entire barren wasteland was seemingly uninhabited. Who was the occupant of the tower? Were they an ally or an enemy? Would this stranger aid the brothers or hinder their journey?

Too many questions. Not enough answers.

"Mario? Mario!" Luigi shook his brother's shoulder harder and harder in an attempt to gain his attention. "What's wrong?"

Remaining quiet Mario just stood pondering doubtfully over each possible scenario.

"Mario! Luigi began shouting at his brother desperately. "Bro! _Parlo per me! Fratello_!*"

"Huh? What?" The sound of Luigi speaking Italian, a language known only to them throughout the entire Mushroom Kingdom, was enough to bring Mario out of his trance. "Luigi? What... What do we do?"

"What do you mean? We go inside." Luigi finally let go out Mario's shoulder and relaxed his own in response.

"But... We don't know who or what is inside." Mario's doubt was uncommonly heavy in his tone as he spoke in a nearly shaking voice.

"That's why we move carefully." Luigi reassured calmly. "We have to go inside. But we don't have to rush in."

"What if... What if we're wrong?" Mario asked nervously, his eyes now transfixed on the hypnotic glow of the torches in the distant. "We can't be sure."

Mario didn't budge from where he stood. His legs were still weak from the taxing journey, but in this moment they remained strong and planted on the desolate soil.

From above a brief flash of lightning, accompanied by the all too familiar rumble of thunder, lit up the gray sky.

"You're right." Luigi unexpectedly agreed. "Just like you were sure it wouldn't rain, we can't be certain of everything all the time." He patted the satchel at his side lightly. "Just like weren't certain about going after to Bowser to rescue the Princess..."

Mario turned his gaze slightly to look at Luigi.

"Or traveling the galaxy to find lost stars. Or traveling through the Beanbean Kingdom." Luigi's head began to droop sadly. "Or when I had to travel through a haunted mansion to rescue you!"

Mario could see the fear in Luigi's eyes just at the thought of exploring that horrific, ghost filled mansion.

"But we still pulled through." Luigi lifted his head and smiled warmly. "Just like I knew I'd find you in the mansion. I never gave up hope because you never do, and never will. You're strong."

Mario put his hand on Luigi's shoulder appreciatively. " _Grazie, fratello._ "*

"Come on." The lightning flashed a second time, followed by an even louder rumble of the thunder. The sweet smell of impending rain filled the air. "Let's go."

 _ **...to be continued...**_

Translation: "Bro! Speak to me! Brother!"* & "Thank you, brother."


	14. Storm on the Horizon

With the support of his younger, yet wise beyond his years brother, Mario bravely took a firm step toward the enigmatic structure with his head held high. The storm overhead followed as the heroes moved across the terrain at a steady pace, the brothers facing the doubt that weighed them down with a reaffirmation that as long as they had faith in each other that they'd overcome any obstacle.

The impending rain filled the once dry air with a tepid humidity that clung to the daring hero's skin. Static charge crackled along with the thunder that shook the sky as it torn across the gray sky.

Mario took a deep breath and slowly let it out to steady his nerves. "Just three more to go."

"Yeah," Luigi put his hand on the satchel still hanging at his side, feeling the four shards contained within. "we're going to make it. We're going to save the Princess."

"Yeah. We will."

A sheet of thick, warm rain began falling and charging across the terrain like a wave across the ocean. Neither hero flinched as the rain instantly drenched them beneath the unexpected shower and continued to march through the increasingly muddy ground toward the structure.

Reaching the base of the tower the brothers looked up through the massive raindrops in awe at the sight of the magnificent structure. Ivory white with intricate carvings that spiraled forever upward to the top balcony, there was a single massive double door complete with a marble door frame leading to the interior of the impressive tower.

The carvings displayed the many different weather based catastrophes that had affected the world in the past. Lightning strikes, floods, mudslides, forest fires, blizzards, drought, tornadoes, hurricanes and tsunamis were shown in terrifying, yet gorgeous detail all around the base of the tower.

Reaching a steady hand forward Mario placed his palm on the center of the unlocked double doors and looked to his side at Luigi. Without a word Luigi nodded in approval as Mario pushed the doors opened, revealing a dark foyer beyond. The doors creaked as they parted but the sound was muted by the rain.

Stepping inside the foyer all outside ambience was silenced. The thick walls and high ceiling prevented the sound of the pounding rain from making any noise inside the tower. Only the steady drips of rain falling from the two brothers closing echoed through the blackened room.

"No where do we go?" Luigi asked as he struggled to peer through the darkness.

A bolt of lightning flashed outside and beamed through the opened doors, bathing the foyer in a blue light revealing a spiraling stone staircase in the center of the tower.

"Up." Mario responded coyly. "We go up."

Locating the base of the staircase Mario led the way up the stairs and toward the top of the tower.

As the brothers ascended the staircase they remembered how eerily similar the morning of Ruin's escape from the mirror had started. Following the stone staircase to the top of the highest tower in Peach's Castle was bleakly symbolic of their current quest to locate the fifth shard of that very cursed mirror.

The lightning raged brighter and closer at the brothers climbed higher inside the tower. The flashes were bright enough to illuminate the interior of the tower in a brilliant blue that shone as pure at the day's sky.

"Nearly there." Mario spoke softly to Luigi, who was following close behind.

"How do you know?" Luigi asked curiously as he continued to struggle to see through the infrequent darkness.

"The light at the end of the tunnel." He paused on the staircase and pointed at two lit torches that outlined the top of the stairs. Visible in the orange light provided by the flames was a second door resting at the top of the tower.

"Are you ready for this?" Luigi asked as he stood one step down from his brother.

"Yes. We have to keep going."

"Then let's go. You lead. I'll follow."

Mario closed his eyes as he placed his hand on the large, brass door handle and tightened his grip. The lightning flashed one last time as he pushed the door open and stepped inside the chamber.

"Come in! Come in!" A happy, energetic voice rang out.

Mario opened his eyes quickly and gazed about the chamber. Almost startled by the layout Mario found himself surrounded by rounded bookcases that stretched from floor to ceiling. The shelves were crammed full of books and notes that ranged in age from centuries to decades. In the center of the room was a large marble table with an elaborate chemistry set complete with beakers and vials filled with unknown liquids, as well as and bunson burners. A massive doorway leading from the chamber to the exterior balcony was completed with an enormous complicated telescope that peered into the eternally expansive sky overhead.

"It's about time you showed up!" The enthusiastic voice called out again. "Do come in!"

"Th-Thanks." Mario replied in a somewhat perplexed manner. "You... knew we were coming?"

"Indeed!" The voice was echoing down from the top of the ladder leaning against furthest bookcase.

Luigi stepped inside the chamber behind Mario and looked about with just as much amazement as his brother. "Wow..."

From the top of the staircase a hooded figure in a brown tunic slid down to the floor with a graceful drop. "Welcome! Welcome!"

"Are you-" Mario was cutoff mid question.

"Yes!" The figure dropped the hood from his face, revealing a relatively hyper active Toad with amber colored spots on his cap. "I am Jolt. The Sage of Energy."

Luigi nudged Mario's arm and whispered into his ear. "'Energy' is right!"

Mario playfully elbowed Luigi's ribs as he smirked. "Sage Energy, we need your help." Mario regained his composure as he addressed their host. "We're looking for-"

"The fifth Glass Shard created by the Sorceress Ruin's destruction of the mirror known as 'Dark Rumination'." Jolt interrupted quickly but precisely.

"Y-Yes. We were told-"

"By the previous Sages that by seeking the next Sage in the land that the Glass Shards would safe thanks to the natural magnetic draw of the dark magic from within the mirror to the natural magic flowing through the land."

Mario and Luigi were left speechless by Jolt's own incredibly quick speech pattern.

"...Yeah."

"You are correct." Jolt beamed as he pulled the fifth shard from a pouch concealed in his dark brown tunic. "Please. Take it and keep it safe."

Mario and Luigi traded confused glances before accepting the shard. Mario took the glass piece in his hands and held it for a moment, feeling the ethereal energy flowing across the flawless surface.

The lightning flashed outside the tower, a natural glow filled the dimly lit chamber and a rumble of thunder shook the tower vigorously.

"Hmm..." Jolt turned his attention away from the brothers and rushed to the balcony, almost oblivious to the heavy rain that instantly drenched him from head to toe. "The storm is close. And it is big. How wonderful."

Mario and Luigi followed the Sage toward the balcony but wisely didn't set foot on the exterior landing.

"The lightning provided an untapped energy that us mortal beings can only imagine." Jolt declared as he watched the sky with great intrigue. "To channel such a power would be a wonderful gift."

Mario turned to look at Luigi who had lifted his hand and rubbed his two forefinger tips against his thumb creating a small spark of green electricity. "Yeah. I guess you're right." He agreed as he handed the shard to Luigi, who promptly tucked it away into the safety of the leather satchel. "I never thought about it like that before."

"Most don't." Jolt quipped without looking away from the raging storm. "Only a handful of those born in the Mushroom Kingdom have been blessed with the ability to channel the natural flowing energy of the world."

"Channel energy?" Luigi was intrigued by this notion as he looked back down at his hand.

Jolt grimly turned his head to look over his shoulder at the brothers as he finally spoke a slow, calm voice. "The very energy that gave rise to Ruin's Sorcery."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	15. A Quick Study

The gray skies roared to life with deafening thunder and blinding lightning flashes that illuminated the study at the top of the ivory colored tower of the Ashen Study, the wise Sage stood idle on the balcony as the heavy rain soaked his brown tunic through to his skin. Mario and Luigi were silent as they awaited the story that they knew Jolt was going to tell; a story that would give further insight into the origins of Ruin's powers.

"Ruin is a Sorceress that draws her power from the world?" Mario asked with a rightfully worried tone that weighed down his voice. "Does that mean her power is limitless?"

"Her only limitations from the world itself. As you've journeyed you've learned of the Seven Sages and the Seven Points of Magic where the natural power and energy of the earth flows forward. Upon these Seven Points structural fragments of the past still linger, existing only through the magic that flows across the land. And you've seen that these structures have been worn by age and weather. This very library, carved from the pure white stone of the newly born earth; was constructed during the heart of the Great War. Today it is only a fraction of what it had been."

"Even the worlds magic isn't truly powerful, is it?" Mario questioned sadly as all light seemed to fade away in his blue eyes.

Shaking his head softly Jolt offered his words in hopes that it would provide the brothers with both a sense of knowledge and understanding. "As brightly as our sun has burned for billions of years and billions more to come, it too will someday burn out."

Luigi's eyes fell to the floor and fixed on a single spot as his mind began racing. "But she's been trapped in a mystical prison for so long and is already so powerful after being released." He brought his gaze back up toward the Sage. "How can we face someone with so much power and anger?"

Strolling from the balcony and back into the large study, Jolt motioned for the brothers to gather around the large desk and take a seat. "Anger is but one of the many emotions that the heart is capable of feeling. Many emotions can affect our judgment: anger, fear, hatred..."

Nervously the brothers sat behind the desk as Jolt took a vial of red liquid and held it over a beaker of blue liquid.

"As powerful as these emotions can be there will always be one that will always be the most powerful of all:" Opening the vial Jolt let a single drop of the red liquid to fall into the beak of blue. From the beaker the mixture turned purple and let out a puff of smoke that took the shape of a heart. "Love."

Mario's thought went to Princess Peach and felt his heart flutter in response.

"Love," Jolt continued on, still speaking a calmer and slower tone of voice. "is an emotional response that creates an unbreakable bond when shared between two hearts."

Luigi pulled the satchel with the shards onto his lap and wrapped his arms around the coveted pouch. Just as Mario thought about Peach he began thinking about Princess Daisy.

"Ruin is alone." Jolt put down the vial and pushed aside the vial which revealed an ancient scribe that had long since fallen from a book that was just as old. "She fell to Darkness when she lost her family and friends. As she allowed the Darkness to empower every fiber of her being, it clouded her judgment and kept her from seeing the Light."

"She's alone," Mario repeated as he looked over to Luigi. "but we're not. We have the advantage."

"Yes." Jolt confirmed, a twinge of caution caught in his throat. "However, numbers alone will not be enough to quell Ruin's power. Her anger and hatred has festered inside her Dark and lonely heart for so long that she will not be thinking rationally. Just as a wounded animal is more dangerous than a healthy one, it is useless to try to argue reason with the unreasonable." Bowing his head solemnly over the table a bolt of lightning flash and gave his facial features an ominous highlight. "Be on your guard!"

Mario and Luigi glanced at each other with uncertainty before looking back at Jolt. "We will." Mario confirmed as he rose from his seat. "We won't fail."

"Let's see that you don't." Sage retorted as he returned to the balcony. "Now... In order to find the sixth shard," he began instructing his his much quicker and energetic tone of voice from earlier. "you must travel through the rest of this wasteland and find the entrance to the Flare Crater hidden deep beneath the earth."

"Flare Crater? Never heard of it." Luigi admitted while feeling a little silly.

"It's not a well known location." Jolt replied just as quickly as he had spoke before. "It's the scene of the final confrontation of the Great War. The land is said to be haunted by the screams of Ruin's numerous fallen victims."

"H-Haunted?!" Luigi stammered fearfully.

"Ah yes," Jolt confirmed excitedly. "reported screams of the long dead are rumored to echoed through the concealed lava channels, and the sensation of being watched has also been rumored. But nothing has been confirmed."

Luigi found little comfort in Jolt's words and began shaking with fear in his chair.

Mario put his hand on Luigi's shoulder and held tight as he felt Luigi's panic beginning to well up. "We'll find the next shard in the crater, right?"

Nodding Jolt confirmed the inquiry confidently. "The sixth Sage will provide you with the shard and with the knowledge that not even this library has ever known. Be wary in your travels as the eye of the storm may seem calm and peaceful, but it merely disguises the true savagery of the storm at heart."

"Thank you for your help," Mario politely excused himself as he pulled Luigi from his chair and to his feet. "we'll do our best. I promise."

"I don't doubt it heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom." Jolt smiled graciously. "I shall bid you farewell and watch the skies."

"Right. Come on, Weege." Mario pulled on Luigi's arms in an effort to get Luigi to finally take a step forward.

"I-I'm coming." Luigi hesitantly responded with a shaking voice. "Lead the way."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	16. Heating Up

It was a quiet descent through the tower. Mario and Luigi were deep in thought as the Sage's words of wisdom set within their minds. Never before had they been faced with such a powerful being such as Ruin; and her dark magic. To conquer this incredible source Darkness the brothers would have to find and channel an incredible source of Light of their own.

Stepping through the doors of the tower and back outside to the wasteland that sprawled outward in a seemingly eternal expanse, Mario and Luigi watched as the storm above steadily quieted and rain came to a halt.

"Luigi we need to keep moving." Mario urged as he set foot on the slick, muddy terrain. "Just two Glass Shards to collect."

"Yeah, I know." Luigi followed close behind Mario while keeping an eye on the gray clouds overhead. "I just wish I knew what to do once we have all the shards together."

Mario flinched momentarily mid stride but didn't stop. "We'll learn soon enough."

"I hope so..." Luigi was already beginning to lose confidence in their success and it was evident in both his voice and his slumped posture.

"Everything will be okay, bro." Mario reassured his cautious brother with confident words. "You'll see. We'll restore the mirror, restore the Mushroom Kingdom, free the Princess and stop Ruin once and for all!"

"Y-Yeah." Luigi still wasn't convinced but didn't dare say anything that could affect Mario's mood or confidence in turn. "Just keep walking. I'll follow you wherever you lead."

Mario pulled the bill of his cap down over his eyes as he trudged through the mud with Luigi following only a few feet behind.

The clouds were beginning to build again and the scent of fresh rain filled the air as a cool breeze began to blow. A dark sky was an ominous sign of events to come as the heroic duo ventured onward toward the secretive Flare Crater.

* * *

Princess Peach was struggling to keep her thoughts together as her prolonged isolation began to make her heart feel heavy. There was no concept of time or space inside the prison. There was no sound or movement which only ached at her heart even further.

"Mario... Luigi." She whispered to herself. "I know you'll come for me. Ruin is expecting you. Please. Be careful." Tears began to roll down her face again as more horrible thoughts entered her mind and heart. "If something happens to you I'll never forgive myself..."

Her words echoed quietly, eternally throughout the prison...

* * *

Reaching the end of the wasteland the brothers were caught up in the storm once again. The heavy cold rain left the duo shivering as they struggled to traverse the slick surface and muddy divots that littered the ground. Wind that gusted harshly chilled the brothers all the more as the dark clouds covered the darkening sky above. Lightning flashes, that birthed thunder claps provided just enough light to aid Mario as he lead the way through the wasteland.

Stopping at the edge of a rocky edge that marked the end of the wasteland and the beginning of the volcanic tunnels Mario scouted the next area with an intense interest.

"Look there!" Mario nearly shouted over the pounding rain and howling wind. "That looks like an entrance to the tunnels beneath the volcanic outcropping."

Luigi joined his brother and looked where Mario was pointing. "I think you're right. I hope those are inactive lava tubes, not anything toxic or heated."

"I think it'll be okay." Mario insisted as he jumped down from the edge and slid on the slick downward hill toward the black volcanic rocks. "There isn't any smoke or steam reacting to the cold rain."

"Good point." Luigi accepted Mario's logic and slid down the hill after him. "Let's just make sure we don't get lost inside the tunnels, you know... Just in case."

"Yeah, no problem." Mario found the mouth of the tunnel he had spotted from higher up. "We've both had enough close calls with Bowser's lava moats in the past. I don't want to get burned again!"

Mario peered inside the dark tunnel only to find a warm orange glow lining the tunnel walls as a bright yellow glow awaited them at the end. The warmth of the tunnel was very inviting and difficult to resist.

"Come on Luigi." Mario took a deep breath and lead the way down the tunnel. The scent of dormant brimstone was acrid but it was faint enough to be ignored relatively easily. "We need to find our ways through the tunnels as quick as possible."

"Couldn't agree more!" Luigi followed Mario and used his hands to rub the coldness out of his arms. His sleeves were thoroughly soaked from the rain and clinging uncomfortably against his icy skin. "At least it's warm and dry inside this tunnel."

"I'll take warm over cold, any day!" Mario remarked as the light at the end of the tunnel became brighter and larger, while the tunnel itself became warmer with each step.

"You know... We should go on vacation after we save Peach. I've never been to Isle Delfino and from what you've told me it sounds like a great place to spend a long week relaxing in peace."

"Good idea." Mario knew Luigi was just trying to make conversation to ease the tension and was very appreciative of his efforts. "You, me, Peach and Daisy. We'll all fly out to Isle Delfino soon!"

The bright yellow light was painfully intense as the brothers swiftly reached the end of the warm tunnel. Standing on a rocky precipice that encircled the inner chamber at the end of the tunnel, it was then they finally saw that the light was coming from the glow of a massive flowing pit of boiling lava...

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	17. Beat the Heat

The brothers stood at the edge of the stone ledge that encircled the lava chamber concealed beneath the long dormant volcanic rock. The heat that rose from the boiling magma was intense! Wiping the sweat from their foreheads the heroic duo watched in a near hypnotic state as the deathly hot lava below churned and flowed steadily into the core of the rock and slithered through the narrow tunnels that snaked all throughout the rocks.

Mario spotted a loose stone sitting on the ledge by his boot. Kicking the stone into the lava below he and Luigi were able to estimate how high up, and therefore safe, they were from the lava.

"Not too far of a drop, is it?" Mario commented as the stone disappeared into the lava with a tiny flare as it sank below the fiery surface.

Luigi just shook his head 'no' at the ominous display.

"We have to find the crater." Mario continued as he pulled his hat from his head and fanned himself before replacing it over his sweaty brown hair. "Let's follow this ledge around to the other side. I think we'll find another tunnel."

"Yeah, okay." Luigi hesitated for only a moment. Their options were limited and time was running out. "Let's get moving."

Pressing their backs against the stone wall the brothers side stepped around the ledge, moving at a painfully slow pace to ensure they didn't lose their footing or disturb the heated rocks that could start an internal collapse of the tunnels. Small pebbles broke free from the ledge under their boots, sliding down and disappearing into the lava that oozed below.

"Easy..." Mario spoke calmly and softly as he and Luigi carefully made their way around the ledge. "Almost there..."

Luigi kept one hand on the strap to the satchel that was still slung over his shoulder. His every thought was of how one misstep could spell disaster. If he fell the Glass Shards would be lost. The mirror would remain broken and Princess Peach would be trapped forever! Ruin would take over the Mushroom Kingdom and there would be no way to stop her. All of the innocent lives across the world would be lost as soon as Ruin was strong enough to envelope the entire planet in flames!

"Luigi?" Mario glanced over and saw the distant look in Luigi's blue eyes. "You okay?"

Luigi didn't say anything as he subconsciously continued to move and keep pace with his brother.

"Luigi? Weege!" Mario nearly shouted as he reached the other side of the chamber. "Snap out of it!"

"Huh? What?" Luigi was brought back to reality by Mario's strong words and tightened his grip on the satchel. "Did you say something?"

Mario pulled on Luigi's arm to coax him off the ledge and toward the opening a second but much smaller tunnel. "Are you alright? You look like you're in a daze or something."

"What? Nah, I'm good." Luigi lied in an attempt to push away his negative thoughts. "Just... Just thinking."

"About the Princess?"

"Yeah... and Ruin."

"Ruin..." Mario growled under his breath. "Don't worry about her just yet, bro. Once we find the last two Glass Shards we can worry about taking that nasty witch down! Until then, we need to stay focused!"

"You're right." Luigi agreed with a confident nod. "We better keep moving then. The heat in this chamber is starting to wear me out."

"I know what you mean." Mario wiped the sweat from his forehead once again, his red sleeve staining a darker shade from the collected sweat in the fabric. "Let's hope it gets cooler as we move away from the lava pit."

* * *

At the heart of Toad Town stood Peach's Castle encased in a spreading stone conjured by Ruin's horrible dark powers. The malicious stone grew in its radius and it stretched across the town, consumed buildings and burying streets under a thick layer of unnatural and seemingly unstoppable rock.

Those who fled the town when Ruin initially attacked watched helplessly as all they knew and loved was destroyed within a matter of seconds.

From atop the highest tower of Peach's Castle, Ruin; still using the Shadow Queen's form of Princess Peach as her own twisted vessel, watched her chaos reign with a twisted grin fixed upon her mauve tinted lips.

"My power has returned." She hissed with a sinister glee to herself. "Soon my fire will engulf this pitiful world, leaving only ash where there was once life."

A dark shockwave rippled outward from the tower and rumbled across the darkening sky like an eternal wave of thunder that rang across the entire world.

"None shall stand in my way..."

* * *

The dark thunder shook the tunnels that Mario and Luigi cautiously traversed. Standing firm for a moment, pressing their hands against the warm lava tunnels, the brothers felt the powerful shockwave ripple unseen overhead.

"What was that?" Luigi asked suspiciously as he wiped sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.

"It sounded like thunder." Mario replied as resumed trekking through the tunnel.

"Another storm?" Luigi pressed as he followed his brother deeper into the tunnel.

"Either that, or..." Mario stared intently at the end of the tunnel and to the dark passage that loomed ahead.

"Or... what?" Luigi was getting nervous.

"Nothing!" Mario pushed the thought from his mind. "Come on," he pushed up the sleeves of his shirt to expose his arms and cool his overheating body. "we have to be close to the crater by now."

"I hope you're right..."

Silently and nervously the heroic duo proceeded to march down the tunnel toward the end, neither hero knowing what awaited them at the end.

The tunnels began to rumble beneath their boots causing small fissures weave into the walls like a spiderweb. A faint yellow glow began shining through the newly formed imperfections and the too distinct acrid stench of brimstone began seeping into the tunnel.

Mario's gut told him they needed to keep moving, and that needed to move faster! "Luigi we better move, NOW!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Luigi agreed as he quickened his pace to keep up with Mario just ahead of him.

The tunnels shook again as a second rumble resonated from the heart of the volcanic rock. The previous fissures widened as new ones formed. The glow shifted from yellow to orange as the scent of brimstone thickened in the increasingly heating and heavy air.

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	18. Just Hang On

The entirety of the volcanic rock and surrounding mountain began to quake and rumble angrily as the molten magma concealed beneath the heart of the rock began to vigorously churn to life. The inactive tunnels began to heat with the natural energy produced by the surrounding magma that began pooling upward, seeping through every porous opening and exposed fissure that it swept over.

Mario and Luigi began charging through the tunnel at a nearly panicked pace as the already incredible heat intensified at an alarming rate. The heroes knew deep down that an eruption was looming dangerously close.

"Come on, Luigi!" Mario urged frantically as he scrambled over exposed stones on the ground and leapt over small streams and flowing lava on the floor of the tunnel. "We need to get out of here!"

Luigi kept one arm wrapped around the coveted satchel at his side as he ran as fast as he could after Mario to escape an impending, broiling end.

Rushing through the narrow, single pathway tunnel with their hearts pounding frantically in their chests the brothers dodged the obstructive cracks and uneven stones that lined their only means of escape.

A third rumble shook the volcanic rocks once more. This rumble was strongest than the previous two combined, allowing the fissures to widen into a deep red glow and the heat of the churning magma to flow with virtually no resistance. The fatal magma began to drip through the cracks in the ceiling in a burning rain that threatened to scald the heroes scampering below.

"Just a little further!" Mario panted as the intense heat and undeniable exhaustion began to wear him down. "I can see a way back up!"

At the end of the tunnel was a steep cliff face that offered the brothers an escape route from the pursuing lava flow. Reaching upward to an unseen height the cliff itself was as dark as the volcanic stone with many jagged stones jutting outward like a naturally formed ladder.

"Come on!" Mario grabbed onto a stone on the cliff side and began climbing, but stopped midway as he waited for Luigi to reach the cliff. "We need to go up!"

"I'm coming!" Luigi was panting just as hard as Mario but sweating twice as much. As he grabbed onto the cliff beside Mario as he pulled himself up weakly, his arms and legs trembling from fatigue. "Get going, I'm right behind you!"

As the brothers began the perilous climb one final rumble shook the entire volcanic area. There was a thunderous eruption that destroyed the surface and collapsed the very tunnel that the duo had just exited. A flood of unfathomably hot lava spewed forward from every crack, pore and hole throughout the volcanic landscape; filling the rocky outcropping with a skin burning heat that began a slow chase as it filled the area and began pooling upward against the cliff.

"Don't look back!" Mario yelled as he frantically climbed upward higher and higher. "Just move!"

Luigi was having trouble keeping up with his brother but didn't stop. Small eruptions from the pooling lava caused small geysers of the molten rock to burst upward with a frightening speed and height. A large drop of magma barely missed Luigi's leg as he climbed upward toward safety, but it did manage to brush against the strap of the satchel handing around his shoulder.

"Whoa!" Luigi felt the unmistakable heat of a fireball as it just missed his body. "Too close!"

The strap of the satchel weakened as the magma ate through the layers of leather, creating a tear in the material that stretched and tore as the weight of the satchel itself weighed against it.

"Huh?" Luigi glanced down at the satchel as he felt the strap suddenly loosed itself from his shoulder. As if he was watching a scene unfold in slow motion Luigi watched as the strap snapped and the satchel begin falling from his shoulder toward the deepening lava below. "NO!"

Mario heard his brothers protest as he hand reached the top of the cliff and looked down in time to see Luigi reach out desperately and grab onto the broken strap of the satchel before it fell into the lava.

"Luigi!" Mario desperately wanted to aid his struggling brother but knew he couldn't do anything without falling to his own doom. "Don't let go!"

"I got it!" Luigi replied as he struggled to pull the satchel back up and under his arm, while holding onto the cliff with only one hand. Sweat was pouring down his face and drenched his green shirt. "Just... Just keep going."

"Not without you!" Mario pulled himself up onto the top of the cliff and laid on his stomach as he reached one hand for Luigi to take, and use his other hand to brace his body against the stone surface. "Take my hand!"

A second geyser burst and drops of magma shot upward, burning into Mario's exposed arm. Keeping his pain inside, he closed his eyes tightly allowing tears to flow as the molten rock burned through his shirt and into his tender skin. Mario didn't flinch and kept his arm extended and hand opened for Luigi to take.

Luigi wrapped his arm around the satchel and pressed it against his chest as he continued to climb up the cliff side with only one hand to support his entire weight. "I'm trying..." He gasped between his panting breaths, worried about Mario's injury and possible waning strength to continue on himself.

"Don't stop, you can make it!" Mario encouraged loudly, almost tearfully as the pain in his arm and concern in his heart ached at every fiber of his being.

Luigi felt the palm of his hand burning as the lava caused the rocks beneath his grip to heat to a scorching, painful degree. Unwilling to fall and let the Glass Shards be lost forever, Luigi made the only choice he felt was right. "Here." He stretched out his arm and lifted the satchel up to Mario's already outstretched hand. "Take it!"

"Luigi..." Mario's eyes opened wide as he realized that Luigi was giving up! He was going to let himself fall in order to save the shards! "I'm not going to leave you! Don't let go, you can make it!"

"It's okay, Mario," Luigi's tired eyes began to close as his hand, still clutching the important satchel, drooped back down from exhaustion. "it's the only way..."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	19. Staying Strong

Mario stretched his arm as far as physically possible as he desperately held onto hope that Luigi would take his hand as make the rest of the climb up the cliff side to the safety of the ledge. The heat from the rising lava was intense, causing sweat to drip into Mario's eyes and burning them with a salty tingle. Luigi was losing consciousness as the encroaching heat, caused by the lava just yards beneath him, stole away what little energy he had left to offer.

"Come on, Weege!" Mario practically begged as he reached his outstretched arm and opened hand to his brother below the ledge. "You can make it! Reach!"

"I..." Luigi looked up at Mario through blurry, half opened eyes. His vision was beginning to tunnel as he saw the familiar of face of his brother engulfed in a dense fog. "I can't..." The satchel still in his hand dropped lower as he lost more and more of his strength by the second. "Just... take the shards... Take them..."

"No!" Mario refused to leave his little brother behind. He refused to watch Luigi die! "I won't leave you!"

"I'm... I'm sorry..." Luigi used the last ounce of strength he could muster to raise his arm and the satchel once more. The leather pouch brushed against Mario's fingertips gently. "I can't..."

Mario saw Luigi's legs beginning to buckle and reacted quickly! Snatching the satchel from Luigi's weak hand he tossed the parcel dismissively over his shoulder and onto the ledge behind him.

The satchel plopped down heavily, the contents within spilling out across the stone surface. The sound of the Glass Shards clinging off the rocks echoed loudly. The small vial of medicine offered to the brothers from Sage Brook rolled slowly and came to gentle halt against a lone rock.

Before Luigi's hand had the chance to drop down again Mario grabbed a firm hold around Luigi's wrist and he held tight as Luigi lost consciousness. Falling limply off the side of the cliff Luigi dangled by one arm over the still rising lava while Mario desperately held onto his brother's arm for dear life.

"I got you!" Mario grunted through the strain and pain as the burn on his arm protested to the sudden weight being applied. "I... I won't let you go!"

Mario could feel himself beginning to slide forward off the cliff and toward the lava pit that had mercilessly filled the entirety of the small rocky outcrop. Shifting his weight back into his legs Mario curled his knees beneath himself until he was in a kneeling position. Sitting up as straight as possible he used both of his arms to lift Luigi up the side of the cliff and toward the ledge.

"Almost... there!" Mario sat back further, straightening his legs he dub the heels of his boots into the stone surface as he pulled Luigi up over the edge of the cliff and at last, to safety.

Mario fell back and laid flat on his sweaty back as Luigi's unconscious body rested heavily over his legs.

The rumbling had stopped and all was quiet inside the volcanic rock structure. The lava had ceased in its flow, stopping the flood of lava just inches from the top of the cliff.

"Luigi?" Mario panted weakly, his voice almost hoarse from exhaustion and fear. "You... okay?"

Luigi was still unconscious. His green shirt and the brim of his hat were completely saturated with sweat.

Mario glanced upward from where he was laying and locked eyes onto the satchel and the five Glass Shards that were casually strewn about. It was then he saw that someone was watching him quietly from a distance, barely concealed behind a large stalagmite in the cool, dark shadows..

"Hey!" Mario sat upright quickly and pointed at the lone figure in the shadows, his arm throbbing in pain from the simple but abrupt motion. "I can see you there! Who are you?!"

A kind voice replied as the figure stepped forward. "Greetings my wary travelers." A toad with a dark red mushroom cap and garnet colored spots revealed himself. He was wearing a brown tunic much like the previous Sages, but his tunic was sleeveless and bore no hood. "I am Pyre. The Sage of Fire."

"The Sage..." Mario repeated with absolute disbelief heavy in his voice. "You live inside an _active volcano_?!"

Pyre cocked and eyebrow as he stepped even closer and stood beside Mario. In his hand he held the glass vial of medicine with a tight grip. "I don't live INSIDE an active volcano, that'd be insane!" He defended himself casually as hegracefully tossed the vial up and caught it in the same hand. "I live active volcano _adjacent_."

"Uh... oh." Mario still thought that Pyre was nuts, but he wisely didn't want to offend the Sage. "Then you have the sixth Glass Shard?"

"I do." Pyre confirmed happily as he gathered the fallen Glass Shards and satchel. "Come with me. You and your brother require medical attention. I can assist you." Replacing the shards into the large pouch of the satchel, he took note of the damaged strap and chose to tuck the leather bag under his arm. "It seems you need as much help as you can get."

Mario sighed with a mix of relief and tiredness and he pulled Luigi upward until he unconscious brother was sitting beside him. Wrapping Luigi's limp arm around his shoulders Mario stood up slowly and let Luigi's full dead weight lean uncomfortably against him as he trailed slowly behind the Sage of Fire.

Still tossing the vial up and down in the air Pyre lead Mario to the tunnel that connected the volcano to a secret cave just outside the active volcanic zone.

"It's not too far." Pyre commented as he noticed Mario struggling to keep pace. "Once we're clear of the volcano you can rest easily. I have much to tell you. After all," he stopped tossing the vial and caught it one last time in a firm grip. "the fate of the world is at stake."

Mario stumbled a little as the Sage's words struck a nerve. Taking the opportunity to wrap his arm around Luigi's side Mario adjusted his little brother's weight and slowly continued on after Pyre with a somber grin across his face.

"Princess... we're coming." Mario whispered to himself. "I promise, we'll save you."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	20. A Brief Respite

Pyre calmly led the injured brothers to his small home that was seemingly too close to the erupting volcano. Crossing a naturally formed, wide and sturdy stone bridge that connected to cave that was located near the top of the volcano to neighboring rock formation, the wise Sage invited the heroic duo into his unusual but secure home that overlooked Flare Crater.

The stone bridge under foot of the weary, intrepid heroes overlooked the eponymous ancient Flare Crater burning far below; resting between the base of the volcano and the neighboring mountain. It was a massive formation of circular, uneven stone and dangerously hot lava of an unusual but breath taking color. Quite a magnificent sight to behold, but one that would go unnoticed by Mario as his mind was focused on aiding his injured younger brother for the time being.

The cave that awaited the heroes on the other side of the stone bridge was large but felt as limited in size as a true home would. Old tattered furniture adorned the interior; a large oak table was at sitting idle near the center of the cave with several chairs sitting around it. A tattered couch, one that was so worn it looked more like a cot than anything else, was resting against the rear of the cave with a massive bookshelf carved into the cave wall beside it. But the most impressive feature was the gorgeous spring that was flowing from the earth and into an intricately carved stone fountain at the very center of the cave. A fine layer of green moss grew around the base of the fountain which allowed several medicinal mushrooms to grow and thrive.

"Welcome to my humble home." Pyre greeted coyly as Mario, still carrying an unconscious Luigi at his side, limped across the bridge and into the cave. "You must rest before you continue your journey, please, make yourselves comfortable."

"Thank you." Mario sincerely appreciated the unusual Sage's hospitality as he struggled to walk and carry Luigi.

"Lay him there." Pyre instructed as he continued to playfully toss the vial in the air and catch it once again. "He'll recover from the heat in time."

"Yeah, thanks..." Mario laid down on a long, ragged looking couch against the far wall of the cave. "I'm just glad he made it out of the volcano..."

Pyre caught the vial for the final time as he silently approached Mario, who was sitting on the edge of the couch beside his brother. Putting a hand on Mario's shoulder Pyre nodded respectfully and placed the satchel on the ground beside the couch.

"Give me your arm." Pyre requested as he uncorked the vial.

"What for?" Mario asked as he extended his burned, tender arm outward.

"This." Pyre tipped the opened vial over the injury and watched as a few drops of the medicinal liquid splashed down in a soothing coat over the painful burn.

Mario flinched momentarily as the initial stung gave way to a gentle cooling that smothered the lingering pain. Much to Mario's shock he watched as the burn began to heal rapidly, leaving behind only a faint bruise where the opened burn had once been.

"Wow! That's some impressive work!" Mario commented happily as he wiped away the excess medicine from his arm.

"Sage Brook was always a gifted mage." Pyre remarked as he replaced the cork into the top of the vial. "She's also a gifted alchemist and healer."

"Yeah, she is..." Mario's thoughts took him back to the night he had almost drowned in the Lost River. "She helped me and Luigi after Luigi pulled out of the water and revived me."

"You fell in the river? How does one fall into a raging river?" Pyre was intrigued by the past event and inquired to learn more.

"I lost the satchel." Mario replied as looked down at the leather pouch beside his feet. "It fell into the river when I lost my footing. I went in after it." Shaking his head shamefully Mario continued on. "I was such a fool risking my life like that... Scaring Luigi."

"Much like the way Luigi scared you when he was willing to fall in order to save the Glass Shards?"

Mario gave Pyre a stern look but said nothing.

"Yes. I know what happened. I observed from the distance as you two completed the hasty climb inside the volcano."

"You... You watched us? Why didn't you-"

"Because you had it under control." Pyre replied quickly as he casually slipped the vial back into the aforementioned satchel. "If I felt as though you were truly in danger then I would have interfered."

Mario was stunned into silence once more by Pyre's comment.

"Please, don't look at me like that." Pyre pleaded as he strolled toward the naturally flowing spring near the center of the cave. "As true heroes, as brothers; I knew that as long as you were together that you'd both be alright." Taking a wooden ladle and dipping it into the cool, clear water, Pyre returned to the couch and looked down at Luigi. "It may seem as though my actions were cold, distant; but I assure you that if was an act of faith and not indifference."

The Sage's calm and almost emotionless response brought little comfort to Mario's frantic mind.

"Now, lift his head." Pyre gently cupped a hand beneath Luigi's chin. "He needs water, he's dehydrated and suffering a mild heatstroke."

Mario obeyed and gently lifted his brothers head while Pyre slowly poured the water between Luigi's parted lips. Most of the water trickled down the side of Luigi's mouth and and onto his shirt, but what little water he did manage to drink was a great necessity and couldn't wait for Luigi to regain consciousness.

"That will do for now. When he wakes up he can have as much water as he needs." Pyre motioned for the spring warmly as he handled the ladle to Mario. "And you as well."

Taking the offered utensil Mario rose from the couch, approached the spring and greedily took in spoonful after spoonful of the refreshing water.

"Once you've both recovered I can give you the knowledge that has been bestowed upon me." Pyre continued as he picked up Luigi's arm to inspect the scorched fabric of his glove and to monitor his pulse. "The dangers you've encountered shall be dwarfed by the challenges that still await you."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	21. The Next Step

As the sun set behind the volcano and the mountain the air took on a much cooler and darker front. The eruption had long since calmed and the stench of brimstone was mercifully fading away. An eerie glow of orange and yellow shone through the many fresh fissures and fractures that lined the exterior of the volcano's rocky surface. A steady stream of flowing lava snaked its way down the rock face and into a naturally carved moat that collected every molten drop at the base of the volcano itself.

Many stars were beginning to twinkly brightly across the ever darkening night sky.

Inside the sheltering cave of the Fire Sage both the Sage and his welcomed guests rested in a peaceful silence that was as soothing as the night air itself.

Still laying across the tatter couch Luigi began to stir from his prolonged state of exhaustion induced unconsciousness.

"Luigi?" Mario noticed immediately as he still sat on the edge of the couch to keep vigil over his injured brother. Placing his hand over Luigi's arm Mario spoke again to the rousing man. "Can you hear me?"

"M... Mario?" Luigi asked quietly as he opened his reddened, tired eyes. "Mario?"

"Yeah, it's me!" Mario sighed in relief as he watched life return to Luigi's otherwise lifeless form. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." Luigi replied calmly as he struggled to try and sit upright on the couch. "What happened?"

Mario put a hand on Luigi's shoulder and helped him to sit up. "We just barely escape the volcano. You passed out from the heat."

Luigi was struggling to recall the past events through the confusing fog that clouded his mind. He caught sight of the burnt fabric of Mario's sleeve and saw the faded burn that was surely to scar his flesh. "You're arm!" Luigi suddenly remembered Mario getting burned by the fiery geyser that shot upward from the flowing lava. He grabbed onto Mario's arm for a better look at the now healed wound. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm okay!" Mario pried Luigi's fingers from his arm gently. "I promise. I was more worried about you."

"I'm..." Luigi looked around at the new environment he now found himself in. "I'm a little confused..."

"Er-hem!" Pyre cleared his throat loudly to gain attention as he stood up straight and proud just beside the central spring.

"Oh, right." Mario motioned toward the impatient Sage. "This is Pyre. The Sage of Fire."

"You found the Sage?" Luigi's voice was a mixture of joy and confusion. "Then that means-"

"Indeed!" Pyre interrupted as he presented the sixth Glass Shard from a pouch in his tunic. "You are now one shard closer to saving our Mushroom Kingdom."

"...and the other shards?" Luigi asked worriedly, remembering how close he came to losing the collected pieces into the chaotic lava that had filled the volcano.

"Safe." Mario picked up the satchel from the floor and presented the leather pouch to his brother. "Everything is going to be okay."

Luigi bowed his head and rested his forehead into his palm. "Thank goodness..."

Pyre dipped the wooden ladle into the spring to scoop up some spring water be he approached the brothers. He kindly offered the shard for Luigi to take. "You two are most fortunate to has escaped the volcano when you did." After Luigi accepted the shard Pyre next offered Luigi the ladle with fresh water. "For you see, that eruption wasn't natural."

Luigi nearly spat the water that he had just sipped as Pyre's words seem to carry a threat.

"It wasn't?" Mario asked curiously, his voice heavy with determination and courage. "Then what caused it?"

Pyre bowed his head as a grimace fell across his face. "It was caused by Ruin herself."

Mario and Luigi's eyes widened with fear as the true extent of Ruin's power was seemingly endless. The Sorceress managed to trap the Princess within an ancient mirror prison, encase the entirety of Toad Town and its people in a mystical stone and she was now able to force volcanoes from their slumber and erupt with a hasty force of destruction.

"How... How do you know this? I mean," Mario didn't want to believe that one person could be so dangerous, so powerful. "how do you know for sure that it was Ruin's doing?"

Pyre looked up slowly and locked eyes with the wary heroes. "The volcano that you traversed has been dormant since the Great War. The magma below flowed freely beneath the thousands of layers of dirt and stone without hindrance. Ruin's spell that has covered the heart of the Mushroom Kingdom in stone has reached the outer limits of Toad Town and have begun digging into the ground itself."

Luigi set aside the ladle and folded his hands together nervously. "She used her magic to make the volcano erupt."

Mario remembered the warnings passed on from the previous Sages. "She wants to cleanse the world with fire." Turning to Luigi he gave his timid brother a look of worry that he had never expressed before. "And she's almost strong enough to do it!"

Pyre nodded and strolled toward the opening of the cave. He looked down past the stone bridge and into the deep canyon below. "The Sages have been given ancient knowledge and bestowed with a marvelous gift of channeling the natural magic that flows across the world." He eyes were transfixed on the hypnotic glow of the crater that was churning with life. "I've witnessed the crater churn to life with vigorous energy over the past two days. A horrible magical energy, one born from Darkness, is growing in strength as we speak."

Mario stood up from the couch and helped Luigi to his feet. Together the brothers joined Pyre at the cave entrance, leaning against each other for support as they weakly joined the Sage just inside the cave.

"As you can see," Pyre motioned down toward the crater. "wonderful magic resides in the volcanic region."

Mario and Luigi watched with wide-eyed wonder as the brilliantly blue color of the lava contained inside the Flare Crater swirled about and emanated an aura of tranquility.

"The Flare Crater had drawn the sixth Glass Shard like a moth to a flame, but the power of the crater seems to have been drained as Ruin's powers have grown."

Mario could feel his heart pounding in his chest as the threat of Ruin's power was becoming too real, too incredible to comprehend.

Luigi's legs began to shake as he too became painfully aware of the danger that was facing off again Ruin.

Pyre could sense the brothers' fear and offered words of wisdom to ease their racing minds. "Now, now. Don't fret." Pyre put his hands on Mario and Luigi's shoulders to push them back into the cave and toward the couch. "You two are stronger together than anything Ruin could conjure from the Darkness that she attempts to control."

Returning to the couch the heroic brothers sat down silently and contemplated their next move.

"Ruin is strong, yes." Pyre approached the bookshelf beside the couch and pulled down a large red, leather tome. "But as I've previously stated, you two are stronger."

Opening the book Pyre flipped through the age, gold tinted pages with focus. "In order to halt her Darkness you MUST combine your Light!" Stopping on a certain page he turned the book and showed the depiction of a great struggle from the long ended Great War. "Light stopped Ruin in the past and it can stop her now."

The image showed an army of seemingly every creature that resided in the Mushroom Kingdom banding their strengths and energy together to stop Ruin. The wicked Sorceress was overwhelmed with power and unable to escape the power of the magic mirror that was ultimately created to be her eternal prison.

"Don't lose faith." Pyre pleaded as he closed the book and replaced it on the shelf. "You're close to the seventh shard, and even closer to the end of your quest."

Mario and took a deep breath and sat up straight. "You're right. Tell us, where do we go next?"

Luigi eyed the satchel cautiously but put a shaking hand on the leather pouch. Unsure of how well he could possibly protect the shards, the fear of nearly dropping the previous shards in the lava still fresh in his mind, Luigi reluctantly pulled the strap of the satchel up and over his shoulder.

"The Princess needs us." Mario continued in an attempt to sound confident. "The entire Kingdom needs us! Please, tell us what we must do!"

Pyre smirked a little and shook his head. "You two already know the answers. You just need to stop and ask _yourselves_ what you must do."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	22. One Last Descent

It was quiet and still. All the night inside the mountain cave that overlooked both the freshly erupted volcano and improbably beautiful Flare Crater Mario and Luigi laid down on the cool stone cavern floor contemplating their next step in their perilous journey. The incredible eruption from the long dormant volcano had nearly cost the brothers their lives, and it was just the beginning of the malicious power that Ruin could willingly exude.

With his undamaged arm tucked under his head Mario stared blankly at the stone ceiling and its green mossy coat. Luigi was laying beside him with both of his arms folded beneath his head and the satchel tucked at his side. Pyre had dismissed himself hours before and retired for the night into his private chamber.

"Hey Mario?" Luigi asked quietly so as to not disturb Pyre in the next chamber. "Do you really think we're strong enough to stop Ruin?"

Mario let out a weary sigh and shut his eyes as he answered just as quietly. "I don't know, Weege. I don't think we've ever had to face someone so powerful, so dark before."

"What about Cackletta?"

"That witch was over confident. She wasn't anticipating anyone from the Mushroom Kingdom coming after her in the Beanbean Kingdom. We had the advantage."

"Yeah, but we took down Bowser pretty easily when first arrived in the Mushroom Kingdom." Luigi didn't like seeing his brother with such weak confidence. He was trying to remind him of every past victory, of every past adventure to reignite his passion for a good challenge. "That giant turtle has given us more problems than anything we dealt with back in Brooklyn!"

"Yeah, but again, he didn't know we were coming."

"True, but we didn't know that _he_ even existed!" Luigi countered with a slight smirk. "I mean, when we saw all the new creatures roaming around I didn't know what to think!"

"...and the Princess." Mario was drifting off into the comfort of his memories. "As soon as we knew that she was in danger we knew we had to save her. No matter what. And she's been nothing but kind, generous and wonderful to us."

"She helped us find a new place to live..."

"Introduced us to the rest of the Mushroom Kingdom as heroes and friends..."

"Introduced me to Daisy!" Luigi tagged on gleefully.

"She even promised to help us find a way back home." Mario's memories shifted from positive to negative as the idea of breaking promises ached at his heart. "Just as I promised to always protect her..."

" _We_ promised." Luigi corrected his brother softly. "You're not alone, remember that. Please."

Mario nodded subtly as he remained silent for the rest of the night. The cool floor of the cave felt good on his worn, tired and battered body. Despite the harshness of the rocky surface Mario fell asleep rather quickly and didn't budge until dawn. Luigi fell asleep not long after, and he too remained as such until the morning sun greeted them through the cave opening.

As the warm rays of the sun crept across the cavern floor the brothers were gently roused from their much needed slumber. The sound of someone walking about echoed off the hard cave walls.

Mario opened his eyes and spotted Pyre shuffling about and gathering glass vials and some unknown powders contained in small leather pouches, closed by a leather drawstring.

"Sleep well?" Pyre asked without looking down at Mario, only feeling the hero's eyes watching his every move.

"Well enough." Mario remarked as he sat upright on the floor and stretched his arms.

"That's good." Pyre began mixing the strange powders into a singular concoction and pouring smalls amounts into two separate vials. "I have one last gift for you and your brother."

Luigi was just as awake as Mario and sitting up as well. "Oh?" He curiosity was piqued.

Pyre finished off his creation by adding a generous amount of spring water to the vials, which dissolved the powder into a brightly colored red liquid. "Drink this." Pyre pushed the two vials across his desk toward the brothers on the other side. "This will restore your natural energy and strength."

"Thanks." Mario graciously took a vial and drank the contents, nearly chocking on the harshly bitter taste.

"Yes, yes." Pyre could see the discomfort in Mario's eyes. "The taste is foul but its benefits are wondrous."

Luigi followed suit and had the same reaction. "Bitter!" He commented as he finished the drink. "But thanks anyway."

Pyre smirked a little, almost amused by their strong reactions to the offered medicine. "Bitter in taste but sweet in results."

Mario nodded appreciatively as he placed the now empty vial back down the desk. "How long will the effects last?"

"Until you do something reckless and injure yourselves, like any other day."

This time it was Luigi who smirked as the smart remark clearly annoyed Mario.

"Of course." Mario replied somewhat coldly. "Now, where do we go from here?"

"To the left of the stone bridge outside the cave you will find a stone staircase that leads down to Flare Crater." Pyre answered as he took both of the empty vials and remaining powder from the desk. "On the the opposite side of the crater is a second staircase that leads down into the first several layers of the world."

"Down?" Luigi sounded a little relieved. "I think climbing down will be a nice change of pace from all the climbing up we just endured."

Pyre ignored Luigi's remark and continued to deliver instructions. "As you descend the staircase you'll find yourselves in an area that is known only the seventh and final Sage. Don't lose sight of each other, as you will become lost for all eternity."

Mario and Luigi exchanged nervous glances before Mario spoke up. "What do you mean lost?"

"The hidden sanctuary that houses the Sage is a labyrinth cloaked in darkness." His voice was stern and his face serious. "Many have attempted to locate the Sage and all but a few have failed. Those who managed to locate the Sage are those who succeed the Sage and take their place. As you can imagine over the centuries very few would dare such a feat and succeed."

"You don't know who the Sage is, do you?" Luigi questioned, detecting a hesitation in Pyre's answers.

"No." He admitted coarsely. "Neither did my predecessor, nor the one before."

Mario sagged his shoulders with building frustration. "And so you don't know the correct route to find the Sage, either. Do you?"

Pyre shook his head sadly. "Unfortunately, no. I do not."

Luigi put his hand on Mario's drooping shoulder in a supportive manner. "It'll be okay, bro. We didn't know how to find the other Sages but we found them. We just need to be patient and think ahead." Luigi tightened his grip on Mario's shoulder affectionately.

Mario looked at Luigi and nodded in agreement. "Thanks. You're right Weege. " _Ci riusciremo_."*

" _Ringrazio il mio fratello_."*

"Now go!" Pyre urged them onward with a pointed finger focused on the cave opening. "The world needs you!"

"Right." Mario agreed and made his way to the cave opening. "Thank you for all your help."

Luigi picked up the satchel from the ground and held the leather pouch nervously. "Here, bro. You carry it."

"Luigi, I trust you to keep the shards safe." Mario reassured his brother. "I'm the one who was careless and lost the satchel into the Lost River. You were surrounded by lava. Believe me, I don't doubt you for a second!"

"Thanks, bro." Luigi smiled as he slipped the repaired strap of the satchel over his shoulder, impressed by Pyre's subtle but quick work at mending the damaged strap. "And thank you, Sage."

"Saving the world is all the thanks I need. Now go! Time is critical!"

The sun had reached an impressive height in the sky, basking the entire volcanic region in a brilliant orange glow. The fiery blue of Flare Crater below gave an ethereal blue aura to guide the brothers on the next leg of their dangerous journey.

 _ **...to be continued...**_

Translations: "We will succeed" & "Thank you my brother".


	23. Opening the Door

Using the brilliant blue glow of the Flare Crater to guide their way Mario and Luigi uncovered the secret entrance to the hidden staircase that leads into the deepest, habitable layers of the world itself. The walk was treacherous and slow as any rocks that had been disturbed by the previous says eruption could prove fatal with a single misstep into the molten substance.

The stone steps leading from the bridge to the base of the canyon cut into the mountain with an aged grace and architecture that only the keenest of eyes could detect. The steps were smooth and covered in a fine layer of ash that left distinct boot prints in the wake of the brothers journey downward.

"This must be it..." Mario stood before a naturally carved doorway in the base of the mountain.

There was a tall perfectly rectangular inscription carved into the rock. In the center of the rectangle was a sun with half of its face covered by a crescent moon. Behind the sun and moon image was a five pointed star. The border of the doorway was covered with stone ivy and vines that wrapped around the entire perimeter of the door.

Mario and Luigi studied the imagery carefully, not wanting to be welcomed by any nasty surprises after enduring the previous hardships of their journey thus far. One error could spell a disastrous end for the heroes and even the trapped Princess.

"Look at that." Luigi noted two odd indentations below the sun and moon insignia. They were parallel to each other and equal in size and distance from each other and the insignia above.

"What is that?" Mario curiously brushed his hands against one of the indents stirring up a fine layer of volcanic ash in the process.

As Mario's hand made contact with the newly uncovered image the stone began to glow with a bright red color.

"Whoa!" Mario retracted his hand wisely and stared it the doorway in awe. "What was that?"

"I'm not sure." Luigi rubbed the back of his neck inquisitively. "Did it hurt?"

"No. I didn't feel anything, I just saw the glow."

"What happens if you touch the other one?"

Unable to resist the curiosity burning through his mind Mario brushed off the second indentation and pressed his hand against the shape just as he did the first. Nothing.

"Huh, wonder what that's about?" Mario returned his hand to the first image and watched as it glowed bright red again. He pulled his hand back and watched as the glow slowly faded away. "Why does one react but not the other?"

"Beats me!" Luigi proceeded to brush away the rest of the ash to reveal the entirety of the image. As his hand made contact the image beneath began to glow a bright green. "What the?!" Luigi retracted his hand fearfully and inspected his palm for any sign of damage. "What was that?!"

"Whoa!" Mario watched as the green glow faded at the same pace as the red.

"Mario, what is happening here?"

Without a word Mario proceeded to brush away all of the ash and revealed the entirety of the two images and stepped back.

"Check it out, Weege!"

The uncovered images appeared to be that of two eroded hand prints, pressed into the rock face. In the palm of one hand was a small burning ember and in the palm of the second was a single bolt of lightning.

"Mario..." Luigi was absolutely astounded by the discovery. "I think... I think we were destined to find this place!"

* * *

"I feel so alone..." Peach whispered to herself as she wrapped her arms around herself even tighter. "But I know I'm not." She stared at a fixed spot on the floor as she began to speak to herself, desperate to hear anything beside the endless silence that surrounded her. "Mario and Luigi will come for me... I just know they will..."

Her words seem to echo for a moment before becoming ensnared in the silence.

"I know Mario will save me..."

* * *

Mario and Luigi stared at the doorway without uttering a single word. Neither of hero knew what to do next. Should they touch the door and see what happens? Would the door open? Was it a trap? Why did the door respond to their touch? Who created the door? How long has the door been there?

"Mario..." Luigi swallowed nervously as he realized that they needed to make a choice. "I... I think we should... We need to open the door."

Nodding in agreement Mario looked at the palm of his own hand before clenching it into a defensive fist. "You're right. But how do we know that this is the correct choice? Ruin is so powerful..."

"I think this door's existence is too convenient myself." Luigi admitted with an increasingly nervous tone. "But Pyre said that we'd find the doorway down here, and here it is."

"But is the correct door? How do we know Ruin didn't create a ruse to trap us?"

"Mario," Luigi put his hand on his brothers shoulder. "I've been where you are. When I was exploring the mansion in order to find you and stop King Boo I encountered many fake doors, booby traps and ambushes. But I couldn't afford to second guess my judgment. I had to make a choice in order to keep moving forward. I chose to open the doors and see what was on the other side." Pulling his hand back Luigi locked his gaze on the indentation before him. "We have to open this door, too."

Mario relaxed his grip and held it out toward the door. "Yeah. We have to open the door." Before he pressed his hand into the indentation he turned and looked over at Luigi with a nod of respect. "Thanks Luigi."

Luigi mirrored Mario's gesture and lifted his own outstretched hand toward the door. "You're welcome."

"Let's do this."

Together Mario and Luigi pressed their hands into the indentations and watched as a brilliant red and green glow began emanating from beneath their palms. The stone door began to quiver to as the door retracted into the wall and released a wisp of stagnant, cold air. The door slid open and disappeared into the very mountain from whence it was carved.

Inside the doorway the blue light of the nearby Flare Crater illuminated the first few steps of the rapidly descending staircase that lead into the darkness of the world below...

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	24. Low

Tentatively the brothers took their first slow, cautious steps into the newly opened doorway that lead down into the perpetual blackness of the winding staircase and labyrinth that was concealed within the isolated volcano and mountain. The darkness within was remarkably cold and almost palpable as it enveloped anything and everything that entered its murky atmosphere. Silence enshrouded the pitch blackness with an eerie presence.

Without speaking to one another the brothers stepped forward and into the darkness. Unable to see through the inky blackness the brothers moved slowly and used their other senses to guide the way.

Once the brothers were through the newly opened doorway a shadow followed them, crossing across the single beam of light that shone through the door.

"Mario!" Luigi turned around just in time to see the door closing behind them, echoing with a loud thud that left only pure silence in its wake.

"We're trapped."

"We have no choice." Luigi turned back around and stared through blackness, unable to actually see Mario's face. "We have to keep going."

"Yes." Mario agreed and reached his hand out to find Luigi's arm. "We need to move before we become lost in the darkness."

Luigi felt Mario's hand brush against his arm and so he reached out and grabbed a hold of Mario's wrist. "Lead the way, bro. I trust you."

"Right..." Mario's voice was able to disguise his uneasiness, simply because the blinding darkness aided him in hiding the fear plastered across his face. "We can do this."

Luigi tagged along behind Mario through the darkness, moving slowly and making sure he had sure footing before stepping forward. Following so close behind his brother brought back memories of their childhood. Luigi remembered how he used to follow Mario everywhere they went as kids. Whether they were in the backyard playing baseball or heading off to the local park to play with the other kids in their neighborhood, the brothers were in seperable with Mario always leading the way.

"Hey Mario." Luigi's memories gave him a much needed sense of hope. "Remember when we were kids and Richy from down the street dared us to spend a night in his 'haunted' attic?"

Mario smiled a little as he vividly remembered that night. "Yeah, and the 'ghost' was really his little sister with a sheet over her head?"

Luigi laughed a little. "And she decided to go 'haunt' Richy for the night after he gave her a quarter?"

Mario started laughing too. "He was so mad!"

"Too bad he didn't get over it until the end of summer. I really like playing baseball at the park with him."

"Yeah..." The good memory of a good childhood was enough to ease Mario's tense thoughts. "I do wonder what happened to everyone after we left Brooklyn."

"I do too." Luigi commented as he continued to instinctively follow Mario. "We'll see them again someday. I just know it."

Mario had found the bottom of the stairs and was now reaching his other hand outward to find something, anything to help guide them through the perpetually blackness. His palm pressed into a smooth surface indicating that he was facing a wall.

"This way, we'll use the wall as a guide." Mario insisted as he picked a direction and began walking.

Luigi wasn't sure what made Mario pick the direction he had selected, but chose to trust his brother's instincts and followed suit.

As Mario felt his way along the wall his hand suddenly met opened space.

"I think I found a passageway."

"Into the maze..."

Mario knew that Luigi was right. Sage Pyre had warned them of the darkness enshrouded maze that they'd have to navigate and it seems as though they found the entrance.

"We have to keep moving."

"Yeah... I just wish we knew where we were moving to."

"So do I, Weege. But we don't have any map or light."

"Light..." Luigi repeated. "What about this?" Lifting his hand upward he ignited a green fireball in his opened palm.

The green glow of the burning fire illuminated a small portion of the maze. The entirety of the chamber itself was so massive that the glow was only a single, dull spot of light against the blackness.

"Good idea!" Mario ignited an orange fireball for himself and watched as the glow lit up only the smallest fraction of the area, no brighter than Luigi's fire.

"It's not much." Luigi commented dryly.

"But at least now we won't run into a wall or trip over something."

Turning their fire toward the opening of the maze the combined green and orange parallel glows shone a flickering light down the expansive and branching pathway. The green stuck to one wall and the orange the opposite. Patches of black indicated the opening of the mazes and thus another winding path that could be trekked.

"Now where do we go?" Luigi asked feeling more annoyed than fearful at the moment.

"I think we should just move in a straight line as much as possible."

"Sounds like the only good option we have. Let's go."

Walking side by side Mario and Luigi slowly walked down the pathway, never straying from the main path. The path was lengthy and felt as though the brothers were ambling down said path for miles with no end in sight. Feeling weak and weary Luigi paused on the path and looked around curiously.

"Mario, wait."

"For what?" Mario asked as he stopped mid stride. "We have to find the exit."

"I know." Luigi was eyeing a nearby branch on the path carefully. "But I think going straight won't do any good anymore."

"Why's that?"

Luigi used his fireball to illuminate his other hand as he pointed to something just over Mario's head. "That's why."

Mario following Luigi's finger and used his own fire to see the object in question. "Oh great..." Dead end.

"We have to choose." Luigi motioned toward the nearest break in the pathway his left and the next break just behind Mario on the right. "Which way?"

Mario was getting frustrated with how limiting their journey was becoming. Finding the secret doorway was irritating enough, but having to navigate a labyrinth in absolute darkness was beginning to test his dwindling patience.

"I... I don't know." Mario admitted bitterly between clenched teeth as he spoke. "I just don't know anymore!"

"Mario-"

"No! I've had it!" Mario shouted angrily.

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	25. Lost in Thought

As Mario's angry, embittered and almost hate filled voice echoed endlessly throughout the blackened labyrinth his orange fireball extinguished itself leaving only the green glow of Luigi's fire in its wake. The rage and frustration emanating from every fiber of Mario's being was palpable, if not frightening.

"Mario..." Luigi was speaking in a soft calm tone in hopes of easing his brother's pent up anger. "Everything will be okay. We-"

"How do you know this?" Mario demanded harshly as he took a defiant stance and got right in Luigi's face. "How do you know ANYTHING about what's happening?!"

"I... uh..."

"You don't know ANYTHING." Mario spat as he turned his back to Luigi and clenched his hands into white knuckled fists. "You never will."

Luigi was obviously hurt by Mario's words. Silenced by Mario's uncharacteristically cruel outburst Luigi just stood idle and took in every brutally demeaning remark without a single protest.

"You think you know what I'm feeling? Do you honestly have ANY idea of what it's like to have the whole world resting on your shoulders?!"

Refusing to argue with his brother Luigi was kept his silence.

"I'm the one who has to rescue the Princess. I'M the one who has to save the Mushroom Kingdom. I'M THE ONE EVERYONE IS COUNTING ON!"

Luigi frowned and let the satchel strap slip down his shoulder. Taking the leather parcel in his hands he laid it on the ground at Mario's feet. "You're right." He finally spoke, his words hollow and filled with a sense of uselessness. "It's always been about you. No one else in this world can get by in their lives without you."

Mario finally turned his gaze and peered over his shoulder to look at Luigi, only to see a faint green glow that illuminated his silhouette as he walked away from the unnecessary reprimand.

"Lu..." Mario stopped himself for calling for his brother when he caught sight of the satchel on the ground resting between where he and Luigi has just been standing. "Luigi..."

Igniting a second orange fireball Mario found himself alone in the darkness with the six Glass Shards and absolutely nothing else. Disgusted with himself he shut his eyes in shame and took the strap of the satchel in his hand. Hefting the parcel over his own shoulder he turned back toward the wall that had cut off his journey and punched it once with a powerful, stress filled fist.

"I'm an idiot..."

* * *

Luigi backtracked the dark pathway with only the green glow of his fireball to act as both guide and company. As he stepped further and further away from his fuming brother he resisted every urge to look back at Mario.

"He's just mad." Luigi told himself as he continued onward, keeping close to the wall as he walked aimlessly through the black maze. "He didn't mean it. Did he?"

Never before had Luigi seen Mario so upset, so hostile.

"I know he's under pressure but he's not the only one!" Luigi argued to himself as he turned a corner and ventured deeper into the heart of the maze. "He acts like I don't care. I care about the Princess just as much as he does! I care about the Mushroom Kingdom and everyone who lives in Toad Town, too. It's not all his responsibility..." He came to a gentle stop as he came to a four-way crossing. "Why doesn't he trust me?"

* * *

Unsure of where to go or where Luigi had gone Mario chose to walk the nearest branching path and trek through the maze, alone.

"Luigi... Where did you go?" He wondered out loud as he walked the winding trail with the orange glow his fireball to see no more than a few feet in front of him. "I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't mean it..."

Mario aimlessly walked through the maze, taking which ever break in the path he crossed first.

"It's not like you did anything wrong." Mario was repeating every horrible word he said to Luigi over and over again in his mind. "You just don't understand what I'm going through."

Turning a sharp corner Mario suddenly found himself without walls, without a sense of place. He was standing on the outer perimeter of the expansive center of the maze. It was large square opening that stretched for miles in all four directions, but this impressive distance was completely obscured by the surrounding blackness.

Mario stood at the end of the path for only a few seconds before stepping deeper in the center, walking in a perfectly straight line.

"No one knows that I'm going through." Mario continued to analyze and debate his previous actions. "How can they? They aren't the one that gets called upon to save the day when Bowser attacks or Cackletta or Dimentio..." He felt a heat rise up his neck as his anger returned. "Why am I the only one who can do anything?! Why is it always ME who has to deal with the craziness?! How did anyone in this blasted Kingdom even survive one day before me and Luigi-"

Mario stopped mid-stride as a horrible feeling of revelation and guilt weighed down his heart. "Me _and Luigi_..." He had come to a stop at the edge of a large circular marble and stone fountain, complete with clear water that was so still it looked like polished glass. "Luigi has been by my side since day one. He's the one who's always had my back."

He looked at his reflection staring back at him from the water. Taking his fist he punched the reflection angrily, the water splashing up into his face.

"Who turns their back on their own brother?" He sighed wearily and pulled his sore fist from the water. "Who actually believes that the entire fate of the world is their own responsibility."

Mario sat on the edge of the fountain and let his fireball burn out, blanketing him in the vast darkness that seemed as deep as the darkness he now felt inside his own heart, unaware that someone was watching him.

"It's not his fault, it's not my fault, it's not anyone's fault. This was caused by Ruin. Once she's stopped everything and everyone can resume their normal lives. Princess Peach will be free and her Kingdom will be safe. And Luigi and I..." He put his face between his hands as he rested his elbows atop of his knees. "If Luigi even wants anything to do with me; we can go back to the Pipe House and finally find our way back home."

A faint green glow lit up the fountain as a gentle hand rested on Mario's shoulder. "This is our home, bro."

"Luigi?!" Mario opened his eyes and looked up into Luigi's kind, forgiving face.

"And we will find a way to save our home and the Princess. Just keep your hope alive."

Mario nodded and put his hand on Luigi's arm. "Forgive me?"

"What's to forgive? We're brothers." Luigi sat beside Mario on the edge of the fountain. "Fighting is normal!"

"Thanks Weege. _L amore fraterno_."*

A sudden shaking of the ground took Mario and Luigi by surprise. They jumped from the fountain, Mario igniting another fireball mid leap, and stood back from the fountain as a marble spire began rising from the center of the water.

"Mario?!" Luigi was having trouble keeping his cool as a towering structure rose from the darkness right before him. "What's happening?!"

 _ **...to be continued...**_

Translation: "Brotherly Love".


	26. A Beacon of Hope?

Mario and Luigi stood statuesque side by side with burning fireballs of orange and green that illuminated the rising structure from the center of the marble fountain. The structure was tall and as wide as the base of the fountain, carved entirely from pure white marble and adorned with pearl murals and statues of ancient Mushroom Kingdom guardians from myths and legends. Multicolored stained glass windows lined the structure's front and encircled the many towering spires that rose and pierced the black sky.

"How is this possible?" Mario asked bewildered as the very thought of something so pure, so massive and so flawless could be hidden in such a remote and dark location was puzzling.

"I don't know! Why did it show up now?" Luigi asked just as confused as his brother as they watched with wide, wonder filled eyes at the magnificent castle that rose from the fountain. "Where did it come from?"

The castle stopped rising as the front drawbridge to the main gate slowly lowered down by long silver chains, creating a passage for the brothers to cross from the edge of the fountain.

The drawbridge was metal and adorned with pearl fixtures that glistened and shone brightly as the dazzling glow of the orange and green flames danced about the fairy tale like beauty that was laying before them.

Just as suddenly as the shaking began it stopped. All was still and all was silent.

"Mario, do we go in?" Luigi asked cautiously as he knew that the beautiful castle could very well be a trap set up by Ruin herself. "I don't have a bad feeling about this place, but we don't know what to expect in a place like this."

Mario adjusted the strap of the leather satchel over his shoulder and nodded confidently. "Yeah. We go in. My gut is telling me that this is an invitation, not a warning."

"Okay then. Lead on."

Mario set boot on the drawbridge and tested his weight. The bridge itself was sturdy and the silver chains never quivered under the added pressure.

"It's safe." Mario confirmed as he slowly crossed the bridge with Luigi following behind. "For whatever reason I feel we were destined to find this castle."

"I think you're right." Luigi agreed as he and Mario reached the other side of the bridge. "I bet this is where the final Sage lives."

"Not a bad place to live!" Mario joked, assuring Luigi that his previously foul mood had passed.

"Sure, if you can stand the neighbors!" Luigi joked right back happy to see Mario being his usual cheerful self again.

Entering the main foyer of the castle the brothers felt a sense of warmth in the air which was complimented by bright white flames burning on torches that lined the entryway and burned in the massive hearth against the far wall.

"This is beautiful." Luigi remarked as he finally felt as ease.

"This _must_ be where the seventh Sage resides!" Mario realized that Luigi's hunch could very well be correct. "I think we were expected, too."

The drawbridge retracted as the unseen force pulled on the chains at a steady pace. The entryway was closed off once more, but the room remained just as bright and comforting.

"I think you're right." Luigi responded calmly as he watched the drawbridge retract. "So, where do we start?"

Mario allowed his fireball to smolder out as he glanced about the magnificent interior of the castle with genuine awe and admiration. His eyes followed the line of white flamed torches that rounded the corner and led the way to a long corridor that stretched deep into the heart of the castle.

"We should follow the lights." Mario concluded as he quietly began walking forward and down the corridor.

"Sounds like a plan." Luigi also allowed his fireball to burn out as he followed his brother down the same corridor.

The corridor itself was a sight to behold. Intricate paintings hundreds, if not thousands of years old, lined the walls with extravagant color and detail. Paintings depicting the Great War lined the wall in horrifically vivid detail on the left wall. Paintings that chronicled the end of the Great War and the founding of the surrounding lands lined the right.

"How do we not know about this Great War, Mario?" Luigi was humbled by the brutality of the past conflict. "This seems like such an important, if not the most important event in Mushroom Kingdom history."

"I don't know." Mario was just as humbled and entranced by the images on his left and right. "Maybe it's something that no one wants to remember because of how tragic it was."

"Kind of like the wars back in our world."

As they traveled the corridor, admiring the paintings and the long unspoken conflict displayed, the brothers found themselves nearing the end of the corridor and spying a white pearl garnered door at the end.

"A doorway?" Luigi asked as they drew closer to the end of the corridor. The questionable doorway become larger with each enclosing step.

"Maybe."

Stopping in front of the now massive door Mario spotted an elegantly designed rectangular panel of pearl with a single circular pearl button in the center.

"I think it's a lift." Pressing the singular button on the panel the door before them slid open to reveal a large elevator car within.

"Good call."

The elevator was adorned with red velvet seats that lined the walls of the car. The floor was shiny and flawless as was the ceiling and walls. Hanging above was a single small chandelier providing just as much light as the torches outside.

"In we go." Mario stepped inside first and waited for Luigi to join him inside.

"Which floor?" Luigi asked as he eyed the small button panel inside the elevator. "It looks like our options are up or down. We're already on the ground floor and I know there's more than two levels to this place..."

"I guess 'Up' is our only choice." Mario replied with an unsure shrug of his shoulders.

"I hope the elevator knows where we need to go," Luigi pressed the the small button with word 'Up' engraved into it. "because we sure don't."

The door of the elevator slid shut, the interior was just as shiny and polished as the walls and displayed Mario and Luigi's reflections as they took a seat on the red velvet bench, waiting for the elevator to reach its destination.

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	27. The Seventh Sage

The ascension of the lift seemed to creep upward at a tauntingly slow pace. Every motion of the lift itself was quiet, smooth and unhindered which gave a sense of false stillness. Sitting in silence the brothers patiently awaited for the elevator to reach the top floor and to reveal whatever or whomever may be waiting for them above in the enigmatic tower.

A soft chime indicated that the lift had at long last reached its destination.

"Ready?" Mario asked breaking the silence as he rose from the red velvet bench. Checking the strap of the satchel he pushed away all doubt from his mind.

"Yeah." Luigi replied with a waning confidence in his tone as he stood tall beside his brother. "Are you?"

"Yeah, let's do this."

The shining doors slid open automatically, taking the brothers' reflection with it, and revealed a massive oval room of pure white marble. The floor, the walls and the ceiling all beamed brightly with the same uniform of flawless, snowy white that looked as though no living being had ever set foot upon it. The room was relatively empty with the exception of the twin staircase that connected to a second rise that extended out even further, and a massive portrait of a wicked sorceress draped in shadow nestled between the two bases of the twin stairs.

Mario stared bitterly at the painting, knowing that this woman was surely Ruin's true form. The menacing aura of the woman, who was controlling a Dark energy while conjuring horrid flames mirrored the very threat that Ruin had cursed the entirety of the Mushroom Kingdom with. The gilded plaque at the base of the painting labeled the gloomy image as "Remedy's End".

"This room is beautiful." Luigi complimented as he and Mario exited the elevator together. "I can't believe something so bright could exist in someplace so dark."

"What is brightness without shadow?" A feminine voice sang out kindly from an unknown location contained within the room. "Impossible."

Luigi froze in place, startled into silence by the unexpected response. Mario stepped further into the room without breaking stride and stood his ground as he looked around for the source of the answer.

"Please." The same voice called out a second time. "Come forward. We have much to discuss my heroic brothers."

Mario looked back at Luigi who was still frozen in place. "Come on Luigi."

"R-Right..." Luigi subtly cleared his throat before repeating his response with a twinge of confidence. "Right. Lead the way."

Mario pulled his focus from the ominous painting as he and Luigi stepped deeper into the white room and found themselves at the base of the twin staircase that lead to the higher level. It seemed as though the voice of their host and the host herself was awaiting her guests on this very level.

Setting foot upon the first step of the staircase the brothers began the steady climb at an even and light pace as to not allow their otherwise heavy boots to echo through the room.

"Do hurry." The voice called out again just an angelic and sweet as before. "I have awaited your arrival for sometime now. Please, I wish to meet you in person."

Mario and Luigi hastened their pace and rounded the spiral of the white staircase gracefully. Reaching the top of the stairs the brothers found a large opened door frame adorned with silky white curtains that concealed the interior of the second level behind a thin veil. Beyond the veil was the shady silhouette of a tall figure who was standing alone at the far side of the room.

Mario put his hand between the two separate curtains to part the fabric gently. "Miss?" He asked politely before 'barging' inside.

"Do come in, don't be shy my friends."

Mario looked at Luigi over his shoulder and nodded once before walking through the newly parted curtains. "Hello, I'm Mario and this is my brother Luigi." Mario introduced himself and Luigi as another act of politeness and respect, while Luigi remained nervously quiet. "Did you summon us?"

"Indeed I have." The woman was in a white gown with a white cape that stretched down and trailed along the ground. She was much taller than expected and had her back to the curtain when the brothers initially entered, but had since turned elegantly to look to her guests, only to reveal a white veil concealing her face. The veil hid her identity well but allowed her long brunette hair to flow freely down her back. A mushroom shaped pendant carved from pearl hung elegantly around her neck. "Thank you for coming under these dire circumstances."

Feeling at ease in the comforting presence of their gentle hostess Luigi found his voice again. "We didn't have much of a choice."

"There is always a choice my kind hero." The woman replied softly. "The most difficult choices to make stem from the ones that seemed to be decided without our consent."

Mario stopped at the center of the room with Luigi right on his heels. "Not to be rude, but may we ask your name?"

"Why of course you can." Their gracious hostess replied. "My name is Aurora." She lifted her veil and finally revealed her face, which left Mario and Luigi in absolute shock. "The Sage of Light."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	28. The Seventh Shard

Standing in awe before the Seventh Sage, Mario and Luigi were stunned into respectful silence as the sight of the Sage of Light was something as beautiful as it was unexpected. While the previous Sages had been wise and intelligent Toads who stood watch over the six portals of natural magic that flowed through the Mushroom Kingdom, Sage Aurora was not a Toad; she was a human!

"You're..." Luigi trailed off as he realized how ridiculous he would've sounded if he had completed his thought.

"Yes." Aurora nodded with a little smile on her face and her green eyes bright with long hidden excitement. "I am human. I can understand your shock. Very few humans still exist within the borders of the Mushroom Kingdom."

Mario came to his senses and remembered that he and Mario had sought out the Seven Sages for a very important quest. "Sage Aurora, do you have the final Glass Shard?"

"I do." Aurora stepped aside to reveal to the final Glass Shard encased with a protective crystalline sphere that hovered just a mere inch or two above a round marble table. "I have kept it safe as I awaited your arrival."

Luigi felt a wave of relief wash over him as he gazed at the final shard of the broken mirror. "We were meant to find this tower... I'm so glad we didn't wander into a trap!"

Aurora only smiled brighter as the kind nature of the brothers was made all the more evident. "To find this tower is to find the Light hidden away in the heart of Darkness."

"Light within the Darkness?" Mario questioned their unusual methods of locating the tower as they wandered through the dark maze. "All we did was walk around aimlessly and argue..."

Luigi put his hand on Mario's shoulder to remind him that their fight was over and all had been forgiven.

"Despite the endless Darkness of the winding labyrinth you two still managed to find each other. Only by reuniting were you able to find the Light within the Darkness."

"Because," Luigi was starting to understand what Aurora was telling them about their journey. "we keep each other from becoming lost in our own personal Darkness we are each other's Light?"

Aurora nodded and waved her hand toward the crystalline sphere that contained the seventh Glass Shard. There was a flash of light and the crystalline surface faded away allowing the Glass Shard to float freely toward Mario's awaiting opened hands.

Mario looked into the shiny surface of the Glass Shard and looked at his own reflection. "My inner Darkness almost got the better of me."

"But it didn't." Luigi reminded him boldly. "And it never will."

Aurora motioned with her hand again and the marble table began rising upward toward the ceiling. A second lift was concealed beneath the table and was now accessible to anyone.

"Heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom; the Warrior of Light and Guardian of Darkness." Aurora addressed the brothers by their secondary honorary titles.

"Ex-excuse me?" Luigi's relief was replaced by a chill up his spine. "What do you know about us?"

"I know all. You see," Aurora brushed aside a third curtain that was draped over the wall at the rear of her personal chamber. "I have watched over this Kingdom since the end of the Great War."

Behind the curtain was another painting. This painting depicted a woman in white armor standing behind the wicked Sorceress Ruin while the Great War clashed around them. Darkness and Light clashed over the spilled blood of the innocent lives who were caught between the horrendous struggle. The small gilded plaque at the base of the painting's frame was engraved with the title of the macabre image: "Origin of Conflict".

"There is a great power that you both share." Aurora continued on with a sense of mysticism about her. "Born beneath a constellation that crosses the over night sky for one week only once in a millennium, you share a bond with each other and with five others who were born beneath the same rare stars."

Luigi was stunned by this ethereal revelation. "We're connected to other people? Who are they?"

"You have already met these special hearts. You will come to understand and truly know them with time."

Mario stared at himself in the mirror sadly. "Do you know Ruin?"He asked with an unmistakable, yet unbelievable, twinge of fear in his voice. "You know who she is?"

"I do." Aurora bowed her head and allowed the veil to slip over her face once more as pain etched across her otherwise gorgeous features. "She is a force that is not to be taken lightly."

"You've defeated her?" Mario pressed the Sage for more answers.

"At great cost."

"What... What did you have to do?"

Aurora shook her head and reluctantly turned her back to the heroes. "That is the one question that I cannot answer. I am sorry, but it is forbidden."

"Mario," Luigi was speaking softly as he stepped forward to be at his brother's side, his face reflecting in the mirror right beside Mario. "we have the all of the Glass Shards now. We can restore the mirror, free the Princess, stop Ruin and save the Mushroom Kingdom. We have to keep moving!"

"I..." Mario looked away from his own reflection toward Luigi's before glancing up to Aurora's back. He so desperately wanted to know what had happened in the past but knew that if the Sage refused to answer she must have a good reason. "I... You're right Luigi." He held out the shard one last time before slipping it into the satchel at his side. "We better get going."

"Take this lift." Aurora whispered sadly. "You must return to the Castle and stop Ruin before her Darkness blankets the world. If her fires rage again all will be lost."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	29. Into the Lair

With the final piece of the broken mirror finally in their possession Mario and Luigi took their leave of the Seventh Sage's tower by using the secondary lift revealed to them by the Sage herself. This lift was merely a single round platform that elevated the two heroes away from the Sage's chamber at the top of the tower, through a small hatch in the roof and through the seemingly eternal darkness above.

Mario was quiet, thoughts preoccupied with many potential worst case scenarios that would leave the world to its demise.

"Bro?" Luigi looked over at his brother standing by his side. "You okay?"

"Fine." Mario replied quietly without look toward Luigi. "Just thinking."

"About the Princess?"

"And the Sorceress." Mario could get the horrific image of Ruin's appearance from the painting out of his mind. "How do we stop her, Luigi? She's like no one we've ever faced before."

"We've dealt with darkness and black magic before. We had to deal with it before we even knew what we were in for, so I know we can do it again."

"I hope you're right."

"...me too." Luigi muttered in response.

As the lift ascended further into the sky a small point of light began shining down from the dark sky. The point became brighter and larger as the lift raised the two heroes higher and higher.

"Mario, look!" Luigi pointed upward the bream of light with one hand and shielded his eyes with the other. "Light."

Looking up Mario used his own to shield his eyes as the light above became ever brighter and intense. The lift carried the brothers up and into the powerful ray of light and out of the darkness. The smell of fresh air and the sound a billowing spring breeze brought a sense of calm over the weary heroes as the lift reached its destination.

The lift delivered the brothers out of the secret maze hidden beneath the mountains and dense rocks to the surface. A land of stone and quiet greeted the heroes as the duo prepared for the return journey back to Princess Peach's Castle.

"We're finally out of the maze." Mario sighed with immense relief. "Now we just need to get back to the Castle."

Luigi didn't reply. He looked around himself with a silent horror stricken across his face.

"Luigi? What is it?"

"We're... We're in Toad Town."

"We're-" Mario's eyes darted about as a surge of adrenaline pumped through his heart.

Luigi was right.

"What... What happened here?!" Mario nearly shouted as he took in the sight of the altered, cursed town.

The brick streets, the houses and even the grass were covered in a layer of ethereal, unnatural dark stone. Flowers that once bloomed in vases and boxes nestled on windows were stone and dead. The glass windows were broken and replaced by rock. Alarming still were the Toads who were unable to escape the ripple of the dark power forever frozen in stone, their faces masks of terror in the midst of a perpetual scream.

"Ruin..." Luigi rasped as dread tightened around his heart. "She did this."

Mario put a shaking hand on the outstretched arm of the nearest Toad cursed in stone and shuddered at how cold and still the poor creature had become.

"If she can do this without even leaving the Castle..." Mario trailed off the full weight of the situation struck him. "Luigi! We have to get back to the Castle, NOW. We can't let Ruin run wild! She must be returned to the mirror!"

* * *

Inside the ancient mirror prison Princess Peach wept silently as she laid on her side with her arm tucked beneath her head. She was tired. She wanted to sleep, to dream. Only through dreams could she finally escape the mirror.

"Mario..." She closed her eyes as a tear rolled down her face. "I'm waiting for you. Please, hurry. I... I'm so tired..."

* * *

Mario and Luigi raced down the stone encrusted streets to the heart of Toad Town. The silent streets and its cursed inhabitants gave a forbidding aura to the once glorious town that was no under a spell of Darkness.

"Come on!" Mario leapt easily from the street to the lower drawbridge that crossed the moat that surrounded the Castle.

"Right behind ya'!" Luigi shouted as he kept pace with his older brother.

Mario pushed on the large doors that lead into the main chamber of the Castle, but they were stuck and refused to budge.

"Come on-" He begged through gritted teeth as he put his whole weight against the doors. "OPEN!"

Luigi assisted Mario and began pushing with his all his strength against the doors. "Keep... trying!"

A loud 'crack' echoed over the silenced Castle Grounds as the doors finally parted. With a slow and heavy swing the doors opened fully and allowed the brothers to enter the cursed Castle at long last.

Inside it somehow seemed even quieter. The natural energy of the Castle was gone. No life, no joy, no beauty.

"Mario... I don't like this." Luigi admitted as he shuddered with fear. "This is too easy. Why wasn't there anything more to stop us?"

"I don't know, Weege. But I do know you're right. Ruin is planning something." He turned to his brother as he pulled the bill of his cap down over his steeled eyes. "Stay on your guard."

Luigi could only nod in agreement as he followed Mario up the staircase and to the higher levels of the Castle.

The interior of the entire Castle was caked in cold stone that gave the once glorious Castle a hollow, dead vibe. The sounds of the brothers' heavy boot steps as they slowly crossed the stone surface of the stair steps and lengthy corridors only intensified the hollowness that was now Ruin's dark and ominous lair...

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	30. The Final Conflict

Heavy darkness loomed through the winding, corrupted corridors of the cursed Castle. Mario and Luigi stepped carefully but with purpose as they boldly ascended the stone encased staircase, making their way back to the top of the highest tower where Ruin was waiting for their arrival. With each step the brothers felt their hearts pounding harder and harder as they drew ever closer to the final confrontation with the dangerously powerful Sorceress.

"It's cold." Luigi's words escaped in a puff of cold air right before his eyes.

Mario noticed his own breath disappearing with each huff he made as he climbed. "Must be Ruin."

"She wants to cleanse the world with fire." Luigi shook his head and rubbed his hands up and down his arms to try and keep warm. "I guess she needs to keep her lair cold in order to survive."

"Anyone who's willing to risk their own life just to harm someone else is threat not to be taken lightly..." Mario realized gloomily. "We really do have a lot at stake. The entire world is counting on us."

Near the top of the staircase the brothers encountered an old friend.

"Toadsworth." Mario mourned as he reluctantly walked past the elderly Ward, knowing that he could do nothing to help his friend.

Toadsworth had been encased in stone just like many of the other Toads. From his frozen position it was evident that the brave and loyal Ward had heard the initial confrontation with Ruin and was racing back to the tower when Ruin's curse was cast.

Luigi wanted to offer some words of encouragement but he couldn't find his voice. What could be said about their dark and perilous mission?

"Luigi." Mario came to stop and fixed his eyes with steeled determination. "We're there."

Luigi looked where Mario had focused his stare and gulped nervously. It was the door to the tower. What was once a red wooden door was now black stone. The silhouette of Ruin's demonic form was carved into the door, accompanied by an eerie red glow that seeped through the cracks and imperfections of the stone.

"You lead." Luigi finally uttered. "I'll follow."

Mario slowly lifted his hand pressed it against the stone door. His fingers curled as the painfully cold surface ached his palm and sent a shiver down his spine.

Retracting his hand Mario turned and looked at Luigi over his shoulder. Slipping the satchel from his shoulder he opened the pouch and exposed the seven Glass Shards contained within. "Luigi, you know I trust you. Right?"

Luigi arched his eyebrow as he gave Mario a somber, silent response.

" _Lo faremo insieme_."*

* * *

Ruin had sensed the arrival of the two heroes. Unwilling to lose all that she had already conjured the wicked Sorceress was more than willing to put it all on the line and battle for the fate of the world with the two brothers. She glared at the frame of the mirror that had long since been her prison and spat bitterly at the now powerless cell.

" _Soon_." She sneered knowing that Princess Peach was helpless and stranded inside for as long as the she willed it. " _The world will be mine and your Reign will be but a pitiful memory_."

* * *

Nodding once Mario put his hand on the door and pushed it open. The black door swung open slowly and revealed the chilly, dark stronghold of that was now Ruin's lair.

"Ruin!" Mario announced his arrival bravely. "Stop now or prepare to be destroyed." His offer was more than generous if not completely unexpected. "The choice is yours."

Ruin, who was still using the likeness of the Shadow Queen after the witch possessed Princess Peach, she grinned diabolically and rose to the air using her Dark magic to float above the ground.

" _Fools_." She pointed a finger at Mario who stood his ground with his arms wrapped tightly around the satchel clutched against his chest. " _My flames shall burn all those who oppose my will. No mirror shall ever hold me captive again_."

A ball of black fire erupted from her fingertip and scorched the ground where Mario had been standing. The nimble hero easily jumped out of the way and stood directly across from the mirror frame.

Mario focused on the mirror frame and made a dash for the mystical prison. As his fingertips brushed against the surface of the frame Mario felt himself being lifted up from the ground by a powerful force that he couldn't escape. Mario felt the icy cold against his back as Ruin pressed him against the far wall, opposite of the frame.

" _Pathetic_." Ruin taunted as she easily held the hero at bay with her Dark powers. She pried the satchel from Mario's grip and held it just out of his reach. " _No mortal man alone can defeat me_."

"Who said I'm alone?" Mario retorted coyly.

" _What?!_ " She used her magic to open the satchel and turn it upside down. The only thing that fell from the leather pouch was the small vial of medicine. The Glass Shards were gone!

Ruin looked back toward the frame in time to see Luigi taking the first Glass Shard from the front pocket of his overalls and slipping it into the frame of the mirror.

" _NO!_ "

The shard fastened itself in the frame and released a pulse of Light that warmed and brightened the room.

Ruin lost her grip on the satchel as a painful surge of Light burst through her body. The empty leather pouch fell to the ground with a hollow 'plop'.

Moving quickly Luigi put the second shard in the frame and watched in amazement as the second piece fused itself with the first. The crack that had once divided the two pieces was gone.

Ruin lost her strength as a second pulse of Light emerged from the mirror.

Mario was able to gain more movement as her grip loosened. "That's it Weege! Way to go!"

Desperate to stop the restoration of the mirror Ruin freed Mario from her grip as she focused on Luigi instead.

"Watch out!" Mario warned as he fell to the ground, landing on one knee, his eyes fixated on his brother's safety.

Luigi looked back in time to see a black fireball soaring through the air directly at him. "Whoa!" Luigi jumped back and out of harm's way.

" _You cannot stop me..._ " Ruin hissed as she conjured another fireball.

Luigi jumped back again, drawing her fire and attention away from the frame. While in mid leap Luigi took the third Glass Shard from his pocket and tossed it to Mario as he ran past Ruin. "Catch!"

"Got it!" Mario confirmed as he grabbed onto the shard and bolted toward the mirror.

Ruin struggled to combat the two brothers who were in perfect synchronization.

The all powerful Sorceress was able to wipe out entire armies with her Dark magic, but on this day she was at a disadvantage. Without the outpouring of hate from the warring troops her Dark powers were severely depleted. And as the brothers had learned during their travels the deeper the Darkness the bright the Light.

Whose light was brighter than that of Princess Peach?

Trapped in a deep, eternal Darkness the Light of Princess Peach only glowed all the brighter.

Mario made his way to the mirror's frame and placed the third shard into the frame and watched as another pulse of Light emerged and aided the battle against Ruin.

"Mario..." A faint voice called out from some place very near the hero.

"Princess?!" He asked excitedly as he recognized her voice.

A semitransparent image of Peach appeared in the mirror. Her lovely face looking outward from the interior of the mirror and her blue eyes locking with Mario.

"We're going to get you out!" Mario promised as he put his hand against the surface of the mirror.

Peach put her own hand against the surface from her side of the mirror and lined her hand up with Mario's. "I know." She forced herself to smile but just as quickly as it appeared it vanished. "Look out! Duck!"

Mario turned in time to see a black fireball blaring down on him. Side stepping the fiery projectile Mario managed to avoid any damage and proceeded to continue to dodge Ruin's furious onslaught of Dark magic.

"Next piece!" Luigi called out as he tossed the fourth shard to Mario.

Catching it just as easily as he done before Mario sprinted back to the frame and slipped the fourth piece into the frame.

Ruin bellowed in pain as another pulse of Light emerged from the mirror. The room had become warmer and brighter still as the wicked Sorceress began losing powers at a steady pace.

Inside the mirror Peach's reflection became more complete and her voice louder as she called out for her friends. "Mario! Luigi!"

Outside the Castle, unseen by the heroes during their dire struggle, the stone that had cursed the Mushroom Kingdom had been halted. The creeping stone that threatened to encase all that it touched stop its slow ripple as the Dark power that fueled began to run out.

"Keep going!" Mario encouraged as he raced around the room and easily dodged Ruin's inaccurate and weaker fireballs. "Just three more shards!"

" _No... This is not... possible_!" Ruin's power had been depleted and she was no longer able to hover above the ground. " _I will not... let it end. Not like... this._ "

Luigi held the fifth Glass Shard in his hands as he made his way toward the mirror. "Now!"

Mario jumped up and over Luigi as the green clad hero ran to the mirror. Igniting a fireball of his own Mario launched a flurry of his own projectiles at Ruin who could only create a Dark shield to deflect the flames.

Luigi was able to easily fit the fifth shard into the frame and watched as Peach's face became clearer and the mirror unleashed more Light into the Dark room.

"Don't worry Princess, we'll have you out of there in no time!" Luigi cheered as he took the sixth Glass Shard from his pocket and slipped it into the frame right alongside the fifth.

"Hurry!" Peach pleaded as her reflection became complete and full.

Ruin fell to the ground and felt the last of her strength being torn away from her body. Unable to hold her guise as 'Shadow Peach' Ruin's true face emerged from the dark facade of the bitter Sorceress.

Mario had ceased his attack as Luigi placed the sixth shard into the frame. "One last chance," Mario held a single fireball in his hand as he offered the Sorceress mercy. "surrender."

Ruin glared at Mario with an utmost hatred that pierced her soul. Unwilling to cooperate Ruin offered one last desperate attack as rebuttal. "I will not go... alone."

Mario felt a shiver creep up his spine as he saw the anger and hatred burning in Ruin's eyes.

Focusing what Dark energy she could muster Ruin pointed a finger at the mirror and unleashed a wall of Dark energy that charged the air with a shadowy electricity. A single purple bolt of electricity shot out from her fingertip and screamed across the room toward the mirror.

"No!" Mario instinctively called out as he watched with widened eyes as the powerful Darkness hurtled toward the mirror and Princess Peach trapped within.

Peach stared helplessly as the bolt of Dark lightning barrelled across the room and directly toward her. She could escape the mirror, let alone escape the powerful attack. She closed her eyes. With the grace and elegance that only a Princess could showcase she awaited her fate.

Luigi saw the bolt's reflection in the mirror. Without hesitation he made his move.

 _ **...to be continued...**_

Translation: *"We'll do it together".


	31. The Light Returns

As the powerful bolt of Dark lightning blasted through the air ever closer to the mirror by the second. Mario was too far away from the speeding attack to interfere or block the attack, while Princess Peach was unable to escape the line of fire from within the mirror itself. The only person who could possibly do something, anything, to protect the mirror from Ruin's destructive energy was Luigi.

Reacting quicker than he could think Luigi formed a bolt of his own green lightning and fired it directly into Ruin's purple lightning. The crash of the two bolts echoed throughout the entire Castle with a thunder that shook the stone and marble structure to its core. Sparks of bright green and dark purple rained down onto the stone floor and faded away into nothingness with a dying light.

Luigi fell to his knees and stared blankly at Ruin, who was glaring at him with a sinister hatred in her eyes. " _La luce vince le tenebre_...*" Falling forward Luigi collapsed face first onto the cold ground and didn't move.

"Luigi!" Mario and Peach called out together at the sight of Luigi's heroic decision that left him unconscious on the ground as green and purple surges of electricity flowed over his body.

"No..." Mario felt a sickening knot tie around his heart at the sight of his brother. "Not like this."

Ruin grinned as the pain of seeing Luigi injured seemed to replenish her own strength. The pain, the angst and the sorrow were all fuels for Darkness. Standing slowly the vile Sorceress felt renewed energy coursing through her veins.

Mario rushed to Luigi's side and turned his brother from his chest and onto his back. "Luigi?" Mario patted the side of Luigi's face gently as he lifted him up from the ground, allowing Luigi's head to rest against the crook of his own arm.

The sight of the burn mark that crept up Luigi's hand and up his arm almost to his shoulder was sickening. The burn in the center of Luigi's chest was revolting. A thin veil of smoke wisped upward into the air from the painful injuries that marred Luigi's body.

From inside the nearly complete mirror Peach watched helplessly as Mario held his injured brother in his arms. "Please be alright..." She pleaded with a tear in her eye.

"Luigi?" Mario called his name again. "Don't do this, I can't do this without you."

A weak hand reached up rested on Mario's shoulder. "I'm not going... anywhere." His voice was hoarse and low but was spoken through a partial smile that somehow made his voice sound louder. "We're in this... together. Right?"

"Right." Mario smiled as a lone tear of both sorrow and relief rolled down his face. "Thank you."

Carefully Mario laid Luigi back down on the ground and rose to his feet. He glared with an intensity that was usually reserved for the likes of Bowser and ignited a bright fireball in the palm of his hand.

"You were given the chance to surrender," Mario reminded the Sorceress with a menacing tone. "too bad you didn't accept."

Mario launched the fireball that erupted on the ground between the heroes and the villain in a brilliant flash of yellow and orange. The flaming barrier shielded the trio from the lone villain long enough for Mario to form a second, much larger and hotter fireball and leap high into the air above the temporarily blinded foe.

Ruin forced herself to her feet, her true form of the long forgotten human woman who had devastated the world a thousand years ago, weak from the dwindling Dark power that was steadily being taken from her as the brothers power shined bright with their own Light.

Luigi rolled onto his side and curled around the painful burn that seared its way into his chest. Using one arm he propped himself up and he watched through blurry eyes as his brother took on Ruin all by himself. "Go bro..."

"Mario." Peach whispered in near disbelief at the heroic act.

" _No. I refuse to go_." Ruin spat angrily as she barely found the strength to stand any longer. " _I will not be a prisoner_. _Not again_..."

From high above Mario launched his fireball down at Ruin and surrounded the vile Sorceress in a circle of intense flames. Landing just outside the flames Mario prepared a third fireball and locked eyes with Ruin as he was determined to stop the Sorceress in that very moment.

"You wanted to cleanse our world with fire and blanket it in Darkness. We're going to keep the world safe with the power of Light."

" _Darkness is eternal._ " Ruin refuted angrily as she stared through the flames at Mario who stood on the opposite side. " _For every ray of Light that shines upon this world a shadow, Darkness itself, is born._ "

Channeling all her remaining strength Ruin released a pulse of Darkness that swept across the floor and seeped into the center of the stone decals that were carved into the ground. A singular round pillar began to break loose from the rest of the floor and rise upward.

Ruin used her Dark energy to teleport from the far side of the room and onto the surface of the rising pillar.

"You're not going anywhere!" Mario pursued the Sorceress as she attempted to flee.

Leaping up and onto the pillar Mario looked back down to Luigi and have his younger brother a reassuring nod upon seeing Luigi struggling to get up and back to his feet.

Luigi reciprocated the nod and understood Mario's plan.

Mario formed yet another fireball and launched it down at Ruin who was standing but wobbly on the pillar as it continued to ascend. The flames caused Ruin to step backward on the pillar and quickly lose her balance. As she fell from the pillar and back down into the tower from whence she came Mario jumped down after her.

Ruin cowered on the floor in humiliation and pain. Her Dark influence over the rising pillar ended once she fell to the ground. The pillar steadily retracted back into the floor behind Mario who stood before her fearlessly.

"As long as we're here we'll keep the Darkness from taking over the world. We'll keep the Light shining!" Mario declared boldly, proudly as he stepped away from the weakening Sorceress. "Right bro?"

Ruin looked past Mario back to the mirror with what could only be described as fear in her piercing green eyes.

Luigi was now standing in front of the mirror with a look of pure determination on his otherwise calm face. From the smoldering fabric of the front pocket of his overalls he retrieved the seventh and final Glass Shard and placed it in the frame of the mirror.

" _NO_!" Ruin screeched as the mirror was at last whole once more.

A pulse of Light emanated from the mirror in a blindingly bright flash that filled the room with both warmth and life. The positive energy absorbed all of the negative energy that Ruin had unleashed during her brief, but damning, reign of terror.

" _I... I won't be defeated_!" Ruin stubbornly resisted as the Light washed away her lingering Darkness and revealed her true form for all to see.

The once ominous Sorceress had lost her power and her Dark aura faded. She was now a normal, powerless woman with too much hatred in her heart. Her long black hair wisped around her body as the Light encircled her where she stood. Her green eyes were bright and glaring through the Light at both Mario and Luigi as she fell to her knees on the ground, using one arm to shield her eyes from the Light.

Luigi lost his strength as he collapsed onto the floor beside the mirror.

"Luigi!" Peach instinctively reached her hands out to catch him and much to her surprise one of her hands had successfully exited the mirror back into the real world. "What?" She retracted her hand and stared down at her appendage in disbelief. "I can move!"

"Princess!" Mario knew his next move and acted quickly.

Rushing in toward Ruin the brave hero grabbed the vulnerable Sorceress and scooped her up from the ground into his arms. Turning on his heel he dashed to the mirror and to the awaiting Princess.

"Princess, now!" Mario called out as he carried Ruin to the mirror.

Peach reached through the mirror and grabbed a hold of Ruin's hand and pulled the Sorceress through the glass, just as Ruin had done to Peach.

" _No_!" Ruin shrieked out painfully and bitterly as she was dragged helplessly back through the glass and into her former prison.

Mario reached into the glass himself and took Peach's hands in his own. Firmly yet gently he pulled the Princess back through the surface of the mirror and into the real world.

Falling to the ground onto his back Peach fell forward and landed on top of him in a lightly 'whump'.

" _Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo_!" Ruin screamed with an ear piercing final word. " _Never again_!"

A flash of Light swarmed over the glass as the power of Light sealed the prison shut for another thousand years. Ruin pounded her fists furiously against the glass but not a sound escaped, nor a crack formed on the flawless surface.

The Sorceress had at long last been defeated.

The curse of stone had been broken! Outside the dark stone faded away as the Light swept across the infected land. What was once encased in the black stone was restored to its former glory.

Green grass and colorful flowers sprung to life as the curse was lifted. Waters that had been stilled by the stone flowed once more and filled the air with a fresh scent of new life.

Toad Town itself was freed from the stone in a spectacular flash. The buildings and streets returned to their original states. The Toads and other creatures who were unable to escape the Dark ripple of power breathed in fresh air as they too were freed from the stone prisons and suspended animation.

Inside the tower of the Castle Peach lifted her head and smiled warmly as tears welled in her eyes. She looked deeply into Mario's blue eyes as she thanked him with a strong kiss on his lips. "I knew you'd come for me."

Mario sat upright and held Peach in his arms. "Always." He spied Luigi laying on the ground beside the mirror and frowned. "We'll never let anything happen to you."

Peach knew that Mario was now focusing on Luigi. She climbed off of Mario's lap and kneeled beside Luigi. Pulling the injured hero up and onto her lap she gently stroked his hair. "Thank you, Luigi."

Mario put his hand on Luigi's shoulder and shook him gently. "Don't worry, we'll get you some help!"

A glint shown off of something small on the ground very near the abandoned leather satchel and caught Peach's eye. "Mario, what is that?"

Mario turned his focus to the satchel and spotted the vial of medicine. "That's it! Thank you kind Sage..."

Grabbing the vial Mario returned to his brother and uncorked the medicine. Slowly Mario poured the remaining blue contents onto the burn on Luigi's chest, arm and hand. Slowly the raw burns began to close and heal right before their eyes.

"It's working!" Mario happily announced as he watched the injuries fade from sight.

Luigi's eyes fluttered open and he looked up to see the lovely face of Princess Peach looking down at him endearingly. "Hello Princess."

"Hello Luigi."

"We did it?" Luigi asked casually as he glanced at Mario kneeling beside him.

"Yeah bro, we did it."

The victorious trio stood together before the mirror. Mario helped Luigi to stand as his full strength had yet to return. Princess Peach wrapped her arm around Mario's and held tight as the traumatic ordeal was finally over.

"What do we do with her?" Luigi asked as he motioned toward the mirror.

"This." Mario grabbed the bottom of the mirror's frame and flipped it upside down. The drapery that had once covered the mirror was still on the ground nearby. He covered the mirror and dusted his hands triumphantly. "We dispose of this wretched thing and never look back!"

 _ **...to be continued...**_

Translation: "Light conquers Darkness."


	32. Accepting Darkness, Embracing the Light

In the dark of the night the Mushroom Kingdom managed to glow thanks to the celebratory fireworks that lit up the otherwise black sky. With each burst of bright color a loud 'bang' echoed across the peaceful and joyous land that had been freed from Ruin's curse, and spared the cruel end as plotted by the same cruel Sorceress. It was under the colorful night sky that Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach stood together at the crumbled remains of the tower with the very mirror that imprisoned Ruin wrapped tightly under a thick black blanket.

Luigi leaned tiredly against the dirty shovel that was impaled in the fresh ground just behind the tower. "Think this will be deep enough?"

"I hope so." Mario replied as he continued to dig away at the loose soil from the bottom of the hole. "We need to make sure this thing is never found again."

Peach watched anxiously as Mario finished digging the hole and climbed out clumsily. Luigi offered his hand and winced in pain the weight and string pulled against his sore muscles in his arm and chest. "I just wish we could do something to help Ruin, rather than just leave her buried in the ground."

Mario and Luigi exchanged sorrowful glances before looking back at the mirror.

"I know she's evil and incredibly dangerous, but she's still conscious and aware of her fate. This just seems unusual and cruel." Peach continued on, her words were as heavy as they were sincere. "Maybe we can take the mirror somewhere else. Maybe we can take it to someone who knows what to do with it."

Mario pondered the idea of showing mercy to the merciless witch but he couldn't bring himself to do so. "Princess, if Ruin escapes again she could very well succeed in destroying the world. We simply can't risk it."

Sighing sadly Peach bowed her and folded her hands together. "I suppose you're right. I just wish... I wish we could find a way to ease her pain."

Luigi looked up at the still bursting fireworks above and enjoyed the sight of the bright color flashing against the dark sky. "Hmm... Darkness and Light together. Hey Mario, what about the Seventh Sage?"

"Huh? What about her?" Mario asked as he tried to understand Luigi's logic.

"She knew all about Ruin's past because she was apart of it! Maybe she's the one who can keep the mirror from falling into the wrong hands."

"Hey, yeah!" Mario agreed happily. "I think you're right, Weege. Come on." Mario stepped around his dropped shovel and grabbed one side of the mirror. "Let's move it back to the lift that brought us back to Toad Town. I bet Sage Aurora will be the perfect guardian for the mirror."

"You got it!" Luigi happily obliged and took hold of the opposite side of the mirror and lifted.

Peach smiled as the alternative fate for Ruin was far less harsh than being buried and forgotten. Following behind her good friends and heroes she walked through Toad Town and took part in the cheerful atmosphere of the town's celebration.

"Here." Mario instructed as he set the mirror on the center of the well concealed lift at the end of the road. "Put it down gently."

"I got it." Luigi put down his half of the mirror and took a few steps back. "There!"

"Do you think-" Before Peach had the chance to finish her question a sudden rumble shook beneath the road and caused the trio to stumble a little. "Oh? What was that?"

The lift began to descend back into the secretive underground labyrinth. As it disappeared down into the blackness it took the mirror along with it.

"She knows." Mario confirmed with a smirk as the mirror behind the black veil faded from sight. "I think Aurora knew we'd succeed and bring Ruin back here."

"She really is wise!" Luigi beamed as the security in knowing that mirror was finally gone gave him a sense of relief.

As the mirror was consumed by the blackness a secondary stone covering filled over the opening in the road and sealed the entrance once more.

"Good." Peach finally smiled for the first time since her rescue. "I hope Ruin can find some kind of peace during her immortality."

Mario reached over and took hold of Peach's hand in his own. "So do I."

"Let's get back to the Castle." Luigi suggested casually as he attempted to lighten the heavy mood. "It's about time for us to join the party and celebrate."

"You're right Luigi." Mario agreed as he squeezed Peach's hand a little tighter. "This time, you lead!"

 _ **-The End  
**_


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